It's Going to be a Crimson Christmas
by Uchiha Ryken
Summary: This is a series of SasuSaku Christmas stories, with each chapter being an "era" of Sasuke and Sakura's lives. Ages 7, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 20. Mostly nonlinear with some deeper themes running through, and a lot of silly romance. [SasuSaku]
1. Maybe There is a Santa Claus

This chapter is meant to take place when all the kids are 7 years old, long before all the chaos that created the Naruto plot. Some things might not make complete sense due to the timeline (like Gai and Lee later on) but some things I just had to do for the fun of it. XD

I know that the characters in the story probably wouldn't have the kind of connection portrayed as of yet, but since I wanted to make this about Santa Claus, the kids had to be younger, and since it would be boring without any interaction, I just used the relationships from later on in their lives. I really wanted to put in Kakashi, but I couldn't fit him in unfortunately...

As a side note, it was really fun to invent Sakura's father as one of those stereotypical anime dads who try way too hard to make things right (think Isshin from Bleach XD).

I hope you all enjoy this simplistic little fanfic. For once, it's not dramatic or anything like that, just... 'cute.' And I cringe at having to use that word, ha.

All characters, techniques, and terms belong to Masashi Kishimoto, creator of the Naruto Universe. The only rights I claim to this story are for the plot. Do not distribute this fic without my permission and proper credit.

* * *

**Maybe There is a Santa Claus...**

_Tick… Tick... Tick… Tick…_

"Oh, come on, you stupid clock, go faster!!" Naruto yelled, shaking his fist at the device that kept him from his Christmas break.

"Naruto!" Iruka scolded, hands on his hip as usual. "Why do you insist on interrupting me a dozen times every class? You only have ten minutes left; now sit down and be quiet!"

Naruto obliged grudgingly, crossing his arms and sighing heavily.

"Now, back to what I was saying," Iruka continued, picking up the chalk to write on the blackboard. "If you're charged with protecting a person of nobility, they probably have their own personal guard. In order to effectively protect them, you'll need to position yourself so that you can…"

_Tick… Tick… Tick… Tick…_

_Come on, come on, _Naruto urged furiously in his head, watching the second hand move ever so slowly around the clock. _Just ten minutes… ten lousy minutes…_

"Naruto!" Iruka called.

"What?!" He cried out defensively. "I wasn't even doing anything wrong, I swear!"

The class laughed, as they often did. Naruto got a bad feeling that he had done something stupid.

"I know," Iruka responded flatly. "I asked you a question. Where would you place your squad in order to protect this noble that I've drawn on the board?"

Naruto's cheeks burned in embarrassment, and he turned his eyes to the crude drawing on the board. There was a man in a carriage on a road, surrounded by four stick figures with swords, who Naruto could only assume to be bad guys.

"I'd beat up the four guys with swords myself; there's no reason to set up a squad," he said.

Again, the class laughed, and he could hear a girl's voice above the rest saying, "Man, that kid is dumb! What an idiot!"

His face flushed again, angry at the girl and embarrassed that he'd managed to embarrass himself twice in as many minutes.

"Really?" Iruka asked tiredly. "You would beat up the nobleman's personal escort? I don't think he'd pay you if you did that."

"Oh, well-" Naruto started to defend himself.

"Please pay attention next time, Naruto," Iruka said dismissively. "Sakura, what would you do?"

"Well, it would help to know what kinds of abilities each member of the squad had in order to place them effectively," she said proudly.

"Good point," Iruka answered cheerfully, glad to have a responsible student to interact with. "Let's say you were teamed with… hm, let's see… Sasuke, Naruto, and a jounin instructor."

"If Sasuke were there, I would put him on top of the nobleman's carriage so he could take out the bad guys no matter which direction they came from!" She blushed.

_Ugh… _Naruto thought. _Always about Sasuke... what's so great about that loser?_

Iruka sighed, taking back what he thought about the responsible student. "Right… well, I think that's all for today. You kids can talk amongst yourselves for the last five minutes…"

The children broke up into their smaller groups, chattering excitedly about what they hoped to receive for Christmas.

"I hope I get a new weapons scroll from Santa!"

"I hope Santa brings me a new ribbon for my hair!"

"I hope I get a whole bunch of toys!"

"So, forehead, what is it that you want from Santa?" Ino said mockingly to Sakura.

"Don't be stupid, pig, Santa doesn't exist," Sakura said, lying her head down on her desk.

"What?!" Ino cried. "What kind of kid doesn't believe in Santa? Of course he exists! Where do you think those presents come from?"

"I don't know," Sakura sighed. "All I know is that it'd be impossible for Santa to give out presents to every house in the village in one night, let alone the whole world."

"Whatever you say, Scrooge," Ino scoffed, walking away to talk with the other kids.

Sakura let out a weary breath once more, listening to all her excited classmates as they prepared for Christmas. She just couldn't get into the spirit this year. A large orange object obstructed her vision as Naruto ran in front of her.

"Sakura-chan!" He called loudly. "How could you not believe in Santa?"

"I proved it mathematically. Santa can't do what you claim," she said flatly.

"Santa is _magic!_" Naruto said quickly. "You can't prove magic wrong!"

"Just go away…" she said quietly.

For once, he took the hint and ran to another group of kids to talk about what he wanted for Christmas, leaving Sakura to stare vacantly at the front of the room.

And there, something caught her eye. Or rather, it didn't. In the chaos that was created by all the children running around, talking about Christmas, there was only one person other than herself that sat quietly at his desk.

Sasuke.

_I wonder if Sasuke believes in Santa Claus… _she thought absently, raising her head from the desk. Then she smiled. _Of course not- he's way too smart for that._

As if he knew he was being observed Sasuke barely turned his head, and she could see him looking towards her out of the corner of his eye. Sakura quickly looked away to avoid detection.

Thankfully, the bell rang, signifying the end of the school day, and she gathered her things to leave.

"YEAH! School's out! School's out!" Naruto yelled, running out the door.

The rest of the children hurried out similarly, leaving Sakura walking a few paces behind Sasuke, who was way too cool to lose his head like the other kids, she decided.

_If only I was walking __with__ him, instead of walking "with him," _she thought sadly. _I wonder if he'd walk with me if I asked. He's not really social, but he's not mean, either._

"H-hey, Sasuke-kun," she called out meekly.

"Hn?" He stopped and turned slightly, sounding a little surprised. As if he hadn't even noticed she was there.

"Um…" Sakura said softly. "I was wondering if you wanted to walk together. Like, through the park or something. I mean, the lake and trees look really pretty, they're all frozen over with ice, and it's sort of on the way anyway…"

Sasuke looked away quickly, hiding a blush that Sakura couldn't see. "Sorry, my mom wants me home early today. She wants the house to look nice for guests tonight," he lied.

"Oh," she said, crestfallen. "Um, that's okay. Maybe some other time."

"Yeah, maybe," he said, glancing at a clock. "I really should get going. Later."

He disappeared in a blur, way faster than anyone else in the class could at their age.

Sakura sighed. _Ugh, I sounded so stupid!_

She mentally berated herself the rest of the walk home, only stopping to think about how cool he looked as he flickered out of her sight in an instant. It was cold. Even though it was only the afternoon, the winter sun was already close to setting. As she rounded the corner to her street, she could see everyone's Christmas lights shining. They all paled in comparison to her house though, thanks to her father, who was in love with the season.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS, SAKURA!"

She flinched in annoyance. "Hey, dad," she said, walking past the ladder he was perched on.

He was putting up even more Christmas lights, absolutely covering the roof with the multi-colored bulbs.

"Just… 'hey, dad'?" He asked disappointedly. "Where's the Christmas spirit, honey?"

She opened the door and stepped inside, mumbling, "Guess I lost it somewhere," before closing it loudly.

Her father narrowed his eyes suspiciously, and jumped down off the roof, immediately plastering himself against the wall as though he was infiltrating a base. Then he opened the door cautiously, knowing that Sakura, just like her mother, could get very irritable very quickly. He peered inside stealthily, sticking his just head inside the door.

"Sakura?"

No answer. He zipped inside, moving quietly and peeking around the corner before moving in. He saw her standing in front of the fireplace, holding her stocking.

"Sakura…?" He edged closer. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"…nothing, dad," she said quietly.

He stood behind her silently, knowing that she would open up if she wanted to, as long as he didn't say anything. Being married for all these years had taught him by error.

Sure enough, she turned around and confronted him.

"Dad, why do we put these up?" She asked, holding up the stockings.

"For Santa, of course!" He said cheerfully.

"I'm not stupid dad, I know there's no such thing…"

He looked as though he'd been shot in the heart.

"How could you say such a thing?!" He asked, tears brimming in his eyes. "How could my little baby not believe in Santa Claus?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Come on, dad, I'm 7. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

"But… but why would you think such an awful thing? You've seen the toys he brings, the cookies we leave out have bites taken out, the milk is gone, how could you doubt him?!"

She sighed.

"Dad, you buy me toys, eat cookies, and drink milk. For all I know, you could pretend to be Santa every year!"

"I wish I could be good enough to be Santa!" He grinned.

"Whatever," she muttered. "If Santa was real, then he would be able to grant my wish every year."

"Doesn't he?" Her dad asked, thinking about the toys she always received. "Don't you always get what you want for Christmas?"

"No… Every year I ask for the same thing, but Santa has never given me what I want most in the world. Either he doesn't exist or he hates me, I don't care which!"

Then she stormed off and ran up the stairs, slamming her door. She heard her father call for her, but she ignored him, locking her door, jumping on her bed, and burying her face in her pillow.

The doorknob rattled, and there was a knock at the door.

"Sakura?" Her father called through the door.

"Go away!" She yelled, throwing her pillow at the door.

She sat up and stared out the window into the dark winter sky.

_All I want for Christmas… _she thought sadly, …_is Sasuke-kun._

_

* * *

  
_

Meanwhile, Naruto was also staring out the window. He closed his eyes, folded his hands, and started mumbling to himself.

"Dear Santa. I've been a very good boy this year. If you love me, you'll make me Hokage. And bring me Ramen. Amen."

Then he jumped up and ran to his bed, sliding under the covers.

"I don't know if that's how it's supposed to be done, but if the guy knows when I'm awake and asleep, he can probably hear what I want for Christmas!" He laid his head down and closed his eyes. _Now I've gotta get to sleep! I've been good, sure, but there were a couple times I got on Iruka-sensei's nerves, so I should get some extra sleep to make up for it!_

There was a knock at his door.

"Naruto? Are you there?" He heard a voice call.

"Yeah, just a second!" He answered, flying out of bed just as quickly as he had gotten in and answering the door. "Hello?"

"Hey, Naruto," Iruka said. "I just wanted to see if-"

He stopped talking suddenly, looking curiously at Naruto's pajamas.

"What are you doing?"

"I was going to bed early so Santa would know how good I was!" Naruto answered, grinning stupidly.

"It's four thirty in the afternoon, Naruto," Iruka sighed. "Besides, I don't think that's how it works."

"Really?" Naruto asked. Then he scowled in frustration. "Dang."

"Anyway," Iruka continued. "You want to get changed and go out for dinner at Ichiraku?"

"Really?! That'd be awesome! Wait right here!" Naruto yelled excitedly, closing the door and running to get changed.

A few short moments later, he came out, dressed differently only in that he wore a coat over his pajamas.

"Let's go!"

* * *

Mikoto Uchiha was decorating her mantle with small porcelain houses when she heard the door open.

"Sasuke, is that you?" She called in a sweet voice.

"Yeah, mom," he answered, taking off his scarf, coat, and shoes.

"School was done over an hour ago, what took you so long to get here?" She asked.

"I was just thinking," he said. "I took a long walk."

"Sasuke, if you're going to be late, tell your mother so she doesn't worry," Fugaku scolded, always the enforcer.

"Sorry, father," Sasuke mumbled.

"Take it easy, it's Christmas Eve," Mikoto chided her husband. Then she turned to Sasuke "It's alright, sweetie, did you have a good walk?"

"Yeah, I guess," he replied.

"Are you ready for dinner? As soon as your brother gets home, I'll take the turkey out of the oven," she smiled, finishing her decorating and moving into the kitchen.

Sasuke spent the time waiting for Itachi to come home washing up, helping his mother with the rolls, and setting the table. Just when he had put the last plate on, he heard the door open, followed by his brother's footsteps.

"Nii-san!" Sasuke called, running to greet him. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, to you too, Sasuke!" Itachi smiled. "Sorry I'm late, mother, I had to stop by the Hokage's office for details on my next mission."

"No problem at all," Fugaku answered happily, "As expected of my son, to help out even on Christmas Eve!"

Sasuke looked away, disappointed. Of course, his father was upset with him for being a little late, but not his brother. Itachi, as always, noticed that Sasuke was upset, and ruffled his hair.

"You want to help me with mom and dad's present after dinner, Sasuke?" He asked.

"Okay!" Sasuke agreed happily.

"Come on in, boys, dinner's ready!" Mikoto called from the kitchen.

They ate dinner in relative silence, not uncommon of the Uchiha household. Mikoto asked Sasuke how school went, Fugaku asked Itachi about his missions, but most of the time was spent quietly chewing Mikoto's delicious dinner.

After dinner, the family exchanged Christmas presents as they always did on Christmas Eve. Sasuke helped his brother carry a new bench into the garden for their parents- a gift that he and Itachi had bought together with money from Itachi's missions and some chores that Sasuke did around town. After leading their surprised parents to their gift, Itachi handed Sasuke a box, wrapped and topped with a bow.

"Okay Sasuke, here's a present from me," Itachi smiled.

Sasuke hurriedly unwrapped it, to find a package of three trick shuriken that you could tie with wire to do all kinds of tricky attacks, including the Sharingan Triple Windmill attack his clan was famous for.

"Wow! Thank you Nii-san!" He beamed. "Will you teach me how to use it?!"

Itachi laughed. "I'll teach you a trick tomorrow Sasuke, but it's too dark to teach you now!"

"I can't wait!" Sasuke grinned.

"You won't have to wait long," Mikoto laughed, "because it's time for bed now."

"Aww, why?" Sasuke groaned.

"Your mother said it's time for bed, Sasuke," Fugaku said flatly.

Sasuke took the hint and followed his mother upstairs.

"Why do I have to go to bed, mom?" He asked. "Itachi doesn't have to go to bed now…"

"I need Itachi to help me with something tonight," Mikoto answered. "He'll be off to bed soon enough."

"I'll help you, mom!" Sasuke volunteered.

"Sorry Sasuke," she laughed. "I need your brother for this."

"Okay…" he muttered.

After he got ready for bed, Mikoto said goodnight and closed his door and went downstairs.

"Itachi?" She called. "How late will you be out tonight?"

"Just an hour or so, mother," Itachi answered. "The Hokage has a lot of help this year for the Secret Santa Program."

"I'm glad you're giving your time to help out," she smiled. "I just hope you get enough sleep tonight. No doubt your brother will be up bright and early to play."

"Of course," Itachi smiled in response. "I'll only be delivering presents to about 20 houses."

"It's nice that the Hokage has set up this program for orphaned children to receive gifts at Christmas," Mikoto said.

"Yes, well, wish me luck that none of them wake up and see me," Itachi laughed.

"Ha! Like that's going to happen!" Fugaku interjected. "You've got the fastest shunshin no jutsu in the clan! Even if a kid was waiting for you they'd miss you with a blink!"

"Thank you father," Itachi said. "But I think you exaggerate. Shisui has beaten me many times before in a race."

"Go out and have fun, Itachi, we'll probably be in bed when you get home," Mikoto ushered him out before his father could argue over track records.

"Thank you, mother," Itachi answered. "See you in the morning."

* * *

Late Christmas night, Mikoto woke abruptly, hearing a noise downstairs. She had heard Itachi come in hours ago, so she knew it wasn't him. Sliding out from under the covers, she picked up a kunai from the dresser and walked silently down the stairs.

There was a long shadow created by the firelight, and she saw the spiky, unkempt hair of her younger son in the glow. Putting away her blade, she entered the room.

"Sasuke, you know that if you're standing there in front of the fire, Santa won't be happy to see you awake," she said, smiling. "Not to mention he'll catch on fire."

"I'm sorry, mother," Sasuke smiled at her joke. His mother knew he hadn't believed in Santa for quite some time. "Did I wake you up?"

"It's alright," she answered. "What are you doing up at this hour?"

"Just thinking…" he replied, staring into the flames again.

"Sounds like you've been doing a lot of that lately," she said softly. "What's been on your mind?"

"Well…" he started, as though he was deciding whether to say or not. "There's this girl at school. Sakura Haruno."

"I think I know who she is. Your classmate with pink hair, right?" He nodded. "She's very pretty."

"I guess so," he turned away, face flushed. "She asked if I wanted to walk with her after school, but I just made an excuse and ran off."

"Why did you do that?"

"I don't know."

"Were you afraid of her?" She teased.

"No!" He responded indignantly.

She laughed. "Of course not."

"It's just," Sasuke started. "She's always looking at me and stuff. A lot of the girls in class do, but she's… different."

"She likes you, Sasuke, there's nothing wrong with that," Mikoto answered, laughing softly. "You're a very handsome boy."

"Don't say that," he looked away again.

"Sorry, Sasuke, I forgot you were all grown up and I can't say that anymore," she said, hugging him. "Would it be so terrible to give little Sakura a chance?"

"… I guess not," he answered.

"I think so too. She seems like a nice girl. It'd be a nice thing to do at Christmas. And you know, if you keep turning her away, eventually she'll start to like someone else. It'd be a shame to lose a girl like her, hm?"

He didn't answer, so Mikoto let him go and led him to the stairs. "Go back to bed now. If you don't get some sleep, you'll be too tired to play with Itachi tomorrow."

"Okay," he said, running off to bed. "Good night, mom."

"Night, Sasuke."

* * *

The next day, Naruto was running through the streets, greeting everyone and showing off his presents.

"There is too a Santa! Look what I got!" He called to Shikamaru and Choji at the playground, sporting his new bright orange jumpsuit and a shuriken holster with a few new shuriken inside. "It's not being Hokage, but it's the next best thing!"

"Hey guys!" Kiba called, with his puppy Akamaru behind him. "Look what I got! I finally got a puppy! Now I can train him to be a nindog and we'll learn all my family's jutsu!"

"I got a ton of chocolate!" Choji beamed. "But I ate it all…"

"Already?!" They all answered.

"What about you, Shikamaru?" Naruto asked.

"I got a game called shougi," he answered. "I don't quite get it yet, but I think it's the kind of game I'll like."

"Okay, cool, see you guys later!" Naruto ran off again.

Running through the streets, he passed a lot of his classmates, and kids from classes ahead of him.

"New training weights?! Wow, these are even heavier than my last set! Thank you Gai-sensei!!!"

"You're welcome, of course, my Lee!!!"

_Weirdos… _Naruto thought.

Up ahead he saw Iruka, who called him over.

"Hey, Naruto!"

"Hey, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto waved. "What's that?"

"Your present!" Iruka said, holding a gift.

"Oooh! What is it? What is it!?" Naruto asked, taking the present.

"You won't know until you open it!" Iruka laughed.

Naruto tore open the wrapping paper, revealing a basket with six different kinds of instant ramen, a new bowl, and gift certificates to Ichiraku.

"Alright! Thanks Iruka-sensei!" Naruto yelled.

"No problem, Naruto. Merry Christmas!" Iruka said. "You wanna go get lunch? It's on me."

"No way I can turn down free ramen!" Naruto beamed.

"Heh… ramen again?" Iruka sighed.

* * *

"Thanks so much for teaching me how to do that trick Nii-san!" Sasuke said as he and Itachi walked home. "I wonder if I'll ever use that trick in battle! I mean, who would think that after they dodged the shuriken, it would shoot the blades back at them?"

"Hn, that's the idea," Itachi smiled. "I'm sure you'll make a great ninja someday."

"Hey Sasuke-kun!" They heard a voice calling. Across the street, Sakura stood waving to them.

Sasuke waved back politely.

"Who's that?" Itachi asked.

"A classmate," Sasuke answered quickly.

"Aren't you going to go over there?"

"How come?"

"She looks like she could use someone right now."

"How do you know?"

Itachi smiled. "Come on, Sasuke. It's obvious she likes you. You know if you keep turning her away, eventually she'll start to like someone else."

Sasuke looked at him suspiciously.

"It'd be a shame to lose a girl like her, eh?"

The suspicion deepened.

"Were you listening to mom and me?" Sasuke asked.

"Get over there," Itachi pushed Sasuke along, then called in a louder voice, "See you at home, Sasuke, have fun!"

Sasuke continued across the street, trying to act natural even though he'd just been "betrayed" by the one person in the world he thought he could trust.

"Hello, Sasuke-kun," Sakura blushed. "Was that your brother?"

"Uh, yeah," Sasuke answered.

"I've heard he's an amazing ninja," Sakura continued. "It must run in the family, right?"

"Hn, I guess."

An awkward silence fell between them, until Sasuke couldn't stand it anymore.

"Sakura," he started, "did you want to take a walk through the park?"

Her eyes widened and she smiled brightly. "Okay! Let's go!"

The two of them walked into the park and took a path through the woods. All the trees were incased in ice, and the entire park was shimmering. Sakura talked on and on about her family's extensive Christmas traditions, and Sasuke chimed in now and then with stories of his own.

Eventually they wound up sitting on the dock out over the frozen lake, just talking.

"It sounds like you have a lot of fun at your house on Christmas," Sasuke commented politely.

"I guess…" Sakura mumbled.

"You guess?"

"Well," Sakura flushed and turned away. "This year I just couldn't get excited about Christmas. I mean, last year I found out that Santa wasn't real-"

"Really?" Sasuke interrupted.

"Well yeah- oh!" She covered her mouth as if she'd just given away a secret. "I'm sorry, I mean, if you still think he's real-"

"Of course not," Sasuke scoffed. "I just didn't think anyone else thought so. Everyone was really excited about Santa in class."

"Yeah," Sakura said thoughtfully. "Christmas has always been a disappointment to me. I don't want toys and other junk like that. I've always wanted something more."

She continued to surprise him. Sasuke had never heard of a girl who turned down presents at Christmas. Or any other time, for that matter. What made her different?

"I don't know if I ever really believed in him," Sakura continued. "I mean, every Christmas I asked for the same thing, and he never gave it to me."

"What did you want?" Sasuke asked curiously.

"Oh! Um… it's nothing, really," Sakura said hurriedly, turning away again to hide her blush.

"No, tell me," Sasuke said, smiling. It was the first time Sakura had ever seen him smile.

"I… I just wanted to spend a Christmas with you," she forced out, hiding her face with her sleeves.

"With me?" Sasuke asked, surprised.

"Mmhmm," she nodded behind her hands.

He smiled again, thinking back to what his mother had told him. It may not be quite his thing, and he may not understand it all yet, but he was willing to give Sakura a chance. She was definitely different than anyone else.

Sasuke took one of Sakura's hands in his own and stared across the lake as she looked up.

"Then maybe there is a Santa Claus," he said.

She smiled as well, still blushing. "Maybe."

* * *

Thanks for reading everyone! Have a Merry Christmas!


	2. Make Love, Not Snowball War?

This chapter is meant to take place when Naruto & co. are 11 years old, the last year in the academy before they become Team 7, and several years after the slaughter of the Uchiha clan. Some things might not make complete sense due to the timeline (like inter-team relationships) but some things I just had to do for the fun of it. It is Christmas, after all!

I know that the characters in the story probably wouldn't have the kind of connection portrayed as of yet, but since you can't write a good story without personality, I just used the relationships from later on in their lives. It was a lot of fun giving Asuma's cell some spotlight, and throwing Kiba in there. Kishimoto has so many fun characters to play with.

All characters, techniques, and terms belong to Masashi Kishimoto, creator of the Naruto Universe. The only rights I claim to this story are for the plot. Do not distribute this fic without my permission and proper credit.

* * *

**Make Love, Not... Snowball War?**

The walk to class was colder than usual. A biting wind numbed his skin all the way from the Uchiha district to the schoolyard. Every tree was coated in lights, and every yard, a fresh blanket of snow. Everyone he passed was busy preparing for the holidays, bustling in and out of stores and homes for last minute gifts and preparations. The cold of winter permeated every fiber of his being, but it was no match for his frozen heart.

Christmas was a time of misery for Sasuke Uchiha. The last of his namesake for over four years, almost half a decade had passed since his last merry Christmas. Almost half a decade since his closest friend and only brother had destroyed everything he loved. Since that time, there had been no joy in his life. Nothing could fill the void left by his family for even a moment. Christmas merely put on display every cruel twist and wrongdoing in Sasuke's life.

A storefront lit up as its owner tested the new arrangement of lights. "Merry Christmas," it read. Satisfied, the storekeeper pulled the plug, and the lights went dark. Sasuke's life, described in only seconds. There had been a time when he had been excited for this season. A time when his face lit up at the presents under the tree. Yet now, there was only darkness.

Merry Christmas… his last merry Christmas was almost too long ago to recall. Perhaps he simply didn't want to recall it. Nearly all of his memories before the murder of his clan had vanished. It only hurt him more to think of his family. Over time, the memories simply faded away from disuse.

One faint recollection floated to the top of his mind. He had been staring out over the lakeside, talking to a girl with pink hair. She could only be Sakura Haruno, from his academy class. That's right… he had spent Christmas day with her. And from what he could remember, after that day he had spent more time with her at school, talking with her on walks home and by the lake at the park.

It was only after his brother's betrayal that she had ceased to be a part of his life. Sasuke withdrew into himself for a long time. Nothing mattered to him now. Sasuke clenched his fist. Only revenge.

Sasuke shook his head, letting the memory of her pass as all the others had. She was part of his old life. There was no room for her now. Giving one last look to the falling snow, erasing even the faintest trace of grass in the yard, he walked inside.

* * *

"Come on, come on, you can do it," Naruto chanted to himself, staring at the only clock in the classroom. "You can do it little buddy, just a little faster…"

The last day of school before Christmas vacation. Almost a holiday in itself, really. There were traditions and celebrations on this day unlike any other. Naruto came to school, he watched the clock for several hours, encouraging its progress and urging it to press onward, he got in trouble, and he left at the end of the day, cheering. Nothing productive ever got done on this day, only lectures.

_Why __do__ I come here on the last day, anyway? _Naruto thought to himself.

"Naruto!" Iruka called out. "How long are you going to stare at that clock?"

"As long as it takes to scare him into ringing that stupid bell!" Naruto yelled back. The class laughed. Iruka sighed deeply to himself.

"Alright, alright, settle down, students," Iruka said. As usual, the children of Konohagakure were growing more and more restless as Christmas vacation neared. The fact that so many had even attended this last class could only mean that their parents dropped them off to accomplish last minute Christmas shopping.

"We don't have anything too challenging for today, being the last class before Christmas," Iruka continued. "And seeing as how that's the case, I think we should spend it having a little educational fun!"

The class groaned at the word "educational," but Iruka calmed them down with a raised hand.

"As a ninja, you will face many challenging and unpredictable scenarios. Sometimes, you'll have no choice but to fight your way out over unstable terrain with whatever weapons you can fashion yourself."

_Oh great, _Sasuke thought as he figured out what was next. _ Here it comes…_

"And so, we have decided to replicate this situation by issuing…"

_Oh no, _Sakura moaned, _not a-_

"… a snowball war!!" Iruka cheered. The students all went wide-eyed and squealed in delight. "Students will be pitted against their Chuunin instructors! All classes will cooperate with one another. You have five minutes to get outside and make preparations for the war, starting… now!"

The students clamored out of their seats and scrambled to get out the door as quickly as they possibly could, yanking coats off their hangers and trailing scarves across the floor behind them. None of them even bothered to close the door. Only Sasuke and Sakura trailed behind, the former standing calmly from his seat and making his way to his jacket as the latter hesitantly followed.

_He looks so depressed, _Sakura thought sadly. She wanted to reach out to him some way, even if it was just to wish him a merry Christmas, but she was afraid to bother him. _I would give anything to make his Christmas as happy as he once made mine._

In the years following that wonderful Christmas day long ago, more than once Sakura had tried to talk to him. She would put on her best smile and ask him if he'd like to walk home together, or wish him "Merry Christmas," but he only mumbled in response. He had completely changed after the death of his clan. Though he had never been overly talkative or friendly, neither had he been cold or brooding. The Sasuke that stood before her had no interest in her, neither good nor bad. It was as though she didn't exist to him.

Sakura followed him slowly, lost in thought as she put on her white earmuffs and coat over her green sweater and red skirt. Sasuke wrapped a crimson scarf around his neck and exhaled deeply as he stared outside frozen world.

"Hey Sasuke," Iruka called behind them. "I'm expecting a lot from you, even if it's just playing in the snow."

Sasuke stared back for a moment or two as the cold wind whipped his raven hair across his face, and then moved on.

"Sure."

_I wish I could make him smile one more time, _Sakura thought miserably as she watched his solemn features crease in anger.

The freezing wind blew harder, and she shivered in her knee-length skirt.

_Just one more time._

* * *

Sasuke quickly moved to the trees just outside the yard once he got outside, certain that the teachers wouldn't be giving them the full five minutes promised. He pulled himself up to a branch about 15 feet above the ground behind two large evergreens. The pine trees still had their dark needles, which provided enough cover that Sasuke wouldn't be seen right away, but he still had a good view of most of the yard.

From what he saw, some students were digging in, setting up small walls to hide behind, others were preparing ammunition in the form of snowballs, and others were flat out hiding behind some of the smaller trees in the yard. A larger group was forming up on the right side of the yard in front of Naruto Uzumaki.

"Allllllright, troops!!" Naruto shouted from the short stone wall that encircled the academy yard. He was holding a fallen tree branch and drawing a crude map in the snow as he rallied the students around him. "Listen up! The teachers will be coming out of the three back doors, here, here, and here!" He indicated with an "X" scratched into his makeshift blueprint. "We will be waiting for them here, and here. Build up strong forts and make lots of snowballs! As soon as they come out the doors, we pummel them! Any questions?"

"What happens if they come out before we're ready?" A voice asked from behind him.

"Who cares?" Naruto grinned as he turned to face his questioner, not even looking at him. "I won't let Iruka-sensei sneak up on me!"

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata called from the crowd.

"What?" He asked.

The children only stared in horror as they all pointed behind him.

"I know I said five minutes," the voice said. "But a ninja should always be prepared, right Naruto?"

He screamed in terror as he was buried under a mountain of snow thrown by all the instructors, who must have gone out the front door and circled around the tree line. It was no secret that they weren't fond of Naruto. They probably had that five-minute trick planned out all day just to humiliate the poor kid.

Students fled their forts in every direction, crying out in fear as they tried to avoid the frosty blows being fired from their teachers. Sasuke remained motionless, knowing that the worst thing he could do would be to move, and give his position away. Slowly, he rolled a snowball in his hand, ignoring the burning-cold sensation of ice on his bare skin. Gloves would be too imprecise. He would only have one shot before they caught on to him.

The entire yard was pure chaos. The students had abandoned their walls and stockpiles the moment their instructors had buried Naruto. Only a few children dared to fight back, and they were quickly crushed underneath a pile of snow as punishment for their courage. The only chance they had was to team up and take the instructors on with a numbers advantage, but fear had overcome their simple minds.

Sasuke's eyes sharpened as he saw the opportunity for a clean strike. Mizuki-sensei had just cornered a student and was preparing to throw. Sasuke lashed out like a whip, the snowball that had been melting against the heat of his hand and freezing again in the cold air now streaking towards its target with blinding speed.

"Aaargg!!" Mizuki yelled as the now icy snowball smashed into his face with more force than he thought a snowball could muster.

Sasuke didn't even stick around to see the look on his face, already moving to a new position, as he was sure another instructor had seen where the attack came from. He launched himself from branch to branch, finally deciding on a high perch in one of the tall trees next to more evergreens. He glanced back to ensure he hadn't been followed, as well as checking on his secondary attack.

One of the teachers had seen his throw, and raced to his initial position- only to get tangled up in the rope trap that Sasuke left behind.

"Ahh! Someone get me down!" The teacher called out, embarrassed.

_They're pathetic, _Sasuke sighed. _This is how Konoha's Chuunin measure up against the Uchiha clan? They can't even stand up to an academy student!_

A scream woke him from his thoughts, and he could see from his perch Ino Yamanaka, a blonde girl in his class being cornered by two teachers. They grabbed two fistfuls of snow and prepared to throw them, then suddenly froze.

"What's going on?" One of them asked as his hands opened against his will to drop the snowballs.

"Is this Kage Mane no Jutsu?" The other asked. "I didn't even know Shikamaru had learned his family jutsu! He's always so lazy in class!"

"As troublesome as it is," Shikamaru Nara answered as he stepped out from behind the tree next to Ino. "My mom makes me practice every day."

"Phew," Ino breathed a sigh of relief. "You could have been a little faster with that move, Shikamaru, what would you have done if they had hit my beautiful face with those snowballs?!"

Shikamaru groaned and muttered to himself, "Probably would have spent my days in more peace and quiet."

"What was that you just whispered?" Ino cried out.

"Why are we getting so worked up over a snowball fight?" Shikamaru grumbled. "What's the worst that's going to happen? Getting hit by some snow?"

"Oh, Shikamaru, why can't you be more self-motivated like Sasuke-kun?"

"Sasuke? What's that guy got to do with this?"

"Don't be jealous of Sasuke-kun's good looks and amazing skill, Shikamaru, I'm sure you could do better if you would just try harder."

"What are you even talking about? When did the subject change to be all about that guy?" Shikamaru exclaimed. "Women are so troublesome…"

"What are you saying about me now?" Ino protested.

"Um, kids," The suspended teacher interjected. "Are you going to do anything but argue?"

"Don't rush a perfect battle strategy!" Ino answered. "Choji, now!"

The four shinobi waited silently for a moment as the wind blew.

"Choji!" Ino yelled.

"Mmmff, just a minute!" Choji Akimichi called out from behind the wall.

"What are you eating now?!" Shikamaru accused.

"Mmmff… nothing! Mmmf."

"Dang it, Choji, are you making snow cones?!" Ino yelled.

"Did you actually bring the syrup to make snow cones to class?" Shikamaru added.

"Come on, guys, I was hungry!" Choji whined.

Ino and Shikamaru only bowed their heads and sighed in exasperation.

"You guys had the right idea," one of the teachers started to say. "But your teamwork still needs a little fine-tuning!"

Shikamaru's shadow withdrew, the time limit reached.

"Sorry kids, but it looks like you don't have enough chakra to hold us any longer," the other added. "Now what are you going to do?"

"This is bad," Shikamaru muttered as the teachers picked up new snowballs.

"Ya-hooo!!!" Kiba Inuzuka howled as he and his dog Akamaru jumped in the middle of the fray. "Take this! Double Avalanche!!"

He and Akamaru squatted down on all fours and flailed in the snow like dogs digging for a bone, shoveling the snow right into the faces of the two instructors, who spat and sputtered as it covered them.

"Ya-hoo! This is the best project ever!" Kiba gave a toothy grin. "Come on, Shino, help me bury these guys!"

Shino Aburame stood motionless in the corner of the school and the wall, bundled up in a massive gray coat, still wearing his signature sunglasses.

"Insects do not enjoy cold weather," he stated seriously. "Especially not the snow."

Kiba could only glance back awkwardly. "Yeah… okay then."

"Bark!" Akamaru yipped to get his partner's attention.

"You're right Akamaru, more for us! Ya-hooo!!" Kiba cheered as he continued to bury the unfortunate instructors.

Meanwhile, Naruto and Iruka were having a Western stand-off in the middle of the schoolyard. Each one scrutinized the other for the slightest movement that would set them off.

"You see that, Naruto?" Iruka asked, tilting his head to his classmates. "They used teamwork, surprise, and deception to get the better of their teachers. That's the only way a shinobi can be successful on a mission, Naruto. You won't get anywhere just swinging your fists by yourself."

"Ha! You say that because you don't know who I am, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto called back.

In an instant, Naruto was across the yard, right in front of Iruka, who kicked up a wall of snow.

"Nice try!" Naruto jeered as he leaped over the snow and over Iruka's head, grabbing his teacher's collar to slow his momentum and to deliver a surprise. "Now take this! Naruto's Snow-Down-the-Back Icy Pants jutsu!"

Just before he could get the snow down his sensei's back, Iruka vanished, using the substitution jutsu with a nearby snowman, which fell on top of Naruto.

"Ahh! You cheater! Where did you go?!" Naruto yelled as he ran in circles with a backwards snowman head.

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata Hyuga mumbled as she watched from behind a tree on the other side of the yard, pained at his trouble. She gasped when she heard footsteps behind her.

"Worrying about that kid, huh?" A teacher asked, lifting up a huge snowball. "You should be worrying about yourself, Hinata-chan. A ninja should never let their guard up!"

He was about to drop it when he was struck with a very small snowball in the back of the head.

"Leave her alone!" Sakura yelled as Hinata scrambled away to safety.

_Sakura! _Sasuke thought urgently.

"Very good, Sakura-chan! A teammate who values her comrades' safety is important in a three-man cell!" The teacher praised.

Sakura, always the perfect student, beamed over getting the "correct answer."

"However, now you're alone, without any backup. You have to think a step ahead in battle, Sakura-chan! Without checking the area for reinforcements, you've attacked your opponent without knowing if there is one or many!"

Two other teachers dropped down from the trees to surround her.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan, but it seems that this time you just didn't do your homework!"

The three teachers cocked their arms back to throw and Sakura screamed, just as the branch Sasuke sat on moved back into its neutral position.

In the blink of an eye, Sasuke had teleported from his perch in the trees to the ground next to Sakura, wrapped his arm around her slender waist, and teleported them both safely behind the three Chuunin teachers. All before the snowballs had left their fingertips.

Sasuke kneeled in the snow; panting, surprised at how much stamina it took to carry both of them such a short distance. He still hadn't mastered the Shunshin no Jutsu, it seemed. Sakura realized quickly what had happened, amazed and joyful at the sight of her handsome savior, but concerned when she saw his drawn face and the beads of perspiration freezing at the tips of his dark hair.

"Sasuke-kun," she started, but he waved her off to tell her that he was fine.

"Very good, Sasuke-kun!" The instructor praised. "I suppose I should have listened to my own advice, eh? That was very skillful for just an academy student! But we can't expect any less from the top of the class, can we?"

Sasuke didn't answer, only taking a deep breath to regulate his breathing as his eyes hardened.

"That's a pretty scary look, Sasuke-kun," another teacher said. "But, like Sakura-chan, you don't have a plan now, do you? You mean to take on all three of us?"

His silent stare was enough of an answer.

"Sasuke-kun, your courage is admirable, but it's time to face reality!" A fourth teacher added as he landed in the snow next to the others. He was the teacher who had fallen for Sasuke's rope trap. The teachers all raised their arms, snowballs ready. "Do you know what comes next?"

Sasuke raised his arms from his sides slowly, then produced hand seals lightning fast. Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger.

"Do you?" He asked threateningly.

"Wait, that's a-"

"Katon! Gokakyu no Jutsu!"

Orange flames leapt from his mouth, consuming the falling snow in a moment. The teachers dropped their snowballs and dived aside as the angry flames licked up the ground they had stood on only seconds ago. Steam filled the air around them as the snow instantly evaporated from the heat.

_A-amazing, _Sakura thought in awe. She had of course read about advanced ninjutsu, but to see Sasuke, not even a Genin ranked student, perform such a huge fire jutsu was simply breathtaking.

The fire died down quickly and Sasuke slumped to his knees, exhausted. Steam from the melted snow enveloped the entire field in front of them.

"Impressive," Mizuki said from behind them, clapping slowly. "But a shinobi must know his limitations. I still owe you for that hit you gave me earlier, Sasuke-kun."

He smiled, but Sakura wasn't at all comforted. Mizuki-sensei was embarrassed that a Genin student had beaten him, if only for a moment, and now he was simply going to remind them who was the instructor and who were the students.

"Don't worry, Sasuke-kun," Mizuki continued. "There's no one to see you lose, so there's no sense in worrying over a silly thing like pride. Unless you're afraid your little girlfriend will be embarrassed that you lost to a teacher. You won't tell anyone, will you, Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke glared at him, but he couldn't defend himself yet, he was still too chakra-depleted. Sakura frantically formed a snowball and prayed it would be enough to help.

"Oh well," Mizuki shrugged, bending over to scoop up a large amount of snow. "You know what they say: 'The nail that sticks up will be hammered down.'"

He lifted the mass of snow above his head for the final blow, his attention entirely devoted to crushing Sasuke and his superiority, while Sakura threw her only weapon.

"Aarg!" Mizuki yelled as it struck him in his eyes. He tensed, causing his giant snowball to crumble above him and cover his face. "Damn brats!"

Sakura didn't have time to answer, instead running forward and grabbing Sasuke's hand, pulling him into the smokescreen his fire jutsu had created. She took him into the trees beyond the cloud and dropped behind a thicker tree trunk, hoping no one saw them. The two of them sat, panting, for several moments.

"Good move…" Sasuke breathed. "hiding… in the steam."

Sakura smiled widely at his praise.

"Thank you," she said nervously, blushing slightly. "And… thank you for saving me earlier."

"Hn. Those idiot teachers get so out of hand…" Sasuke answered angrily.

Sakura laughed softly. "They get way too excited for the holidays. They're just like my father."

"Does he still put up those ridiculous reindeer on the roof?" Sasuke asked, smirking.

"Those and more!" Sakura exclaimed. "He got a sled and Santa to go with it!"

They laughed at that, Sasuke recalling the first time he had spoken with Sakura, and how she had complained about her father's overzealous decorations.

"You… you still remember that about my dad?" Sakura asked.

He turned away, blushing slightly. "Well, I just remember you telling me about his Christmas fanaticism, that's all."

She smiled sweetly to herself, glad that he still remembered that Christmas, even if he didn't want to talk about it. She wanted to ask him more, ask him if he remembered anything else from that day. Remembered how they had connected, and how close they had been after that day, but she didn't know how to ask.

"Um, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn?"

"Um," she fidgeted, but she couldn't find the words.

"What is it?" He asked, giving her an inquisitive stare for a moment before snapping back to attention, seeing a dark shape in the fog.

"Wait," he whispered fiercely, pressing a finger against her lips. His finger was freezing from the snow, but it could have been an icicle for all she cared. Even sitting in the snow wearing a skirt, scared that she was about to be ambushed by some holiday-crazed sensei, she wouldn't trade this moment for anything.

He dropped his finger and took her hand in his own, indicating with a nod that they should jump up a couple branches, and she nodded. He picked a spot in the tree where the trunk split, giving Sakura a good place to sit and still be hidden while he grabbed a chunk of snow and rolled it in his palm.

The shadow in the fog grew darker and larger, and Sakura held her breath in anticipation. Who would it be? Mizuki-sensei again? The shape was definitely taller than a student, running quickly towards them.

Just when she thought she would explode from holding in air, Naruto came running at full speed through the fog, the snowman's head still towering over his own, still backwards. He burst through the smoke at a sprint and ran headlong into a nearby tree.

BAM!

The bark cracked and branches fell on top of him, but he instantly stood up, shaking his fist in the air.

"Damn you Iruka-sensei, that was a cheap shot! I'll get you for that!" He yelled towards the smoke, even though he couldn't see anything but a dark circle. The dark circle became a bigger circle and a snowball came flying through the fog right into his face.

"You shouldn't give away your position, Naruto!" They heard Iruka's voice call. Three tall shadows moved towards them through the vapor.

"Bring it on!!" Naruto yelled, scooping up snow and throwing it in a windmill motion with both arms. "Take that! And that! And that and that and that and…"

Using the commotion to their advantage, Sasuke and Sakura slipped away back further in the trees, stopping by a giant oak tree. Its roots were partially exposed, creating a hollow at the base of its trunk. Confident in their secrecy, Sakura could finally breathe easily once more.

"What were you saying, Sakura?" Sasuke asked innocently, causing her breath to catch once more.

"Um, uh, brr, it's cold!" She said, pathetically trying to push her thoughts away.

Sasuke chuckled. "I'd expect to hear that from someone wearing a skirt."

"It's fashionable!" She defended, blushing deeply as she tried to pull the skirt down a little bit.

He laughed as he removed his jacket. "Come here," he said holding out his arms.

Shocked and nearly happy to tears, Sakura moved closer to him, curling up against his warm body as he covered her bare legs with his coat. "You aren't cold?" She asked as she rested her head against his shoulder hesitantly.

"Don't worry about it," he answered.

"Thank you," she whispered, smiling against his chest. "…Sasuke, do you remember that Christmas Day we spent together?"

"I remember," he murmured. "My last merry Christmas."

There was a deep sadness in his voice. A scar that still hadn't healed, and maybe never would. Sakura could bring back the happiness that he lost when he lost his family. She knew that now. But she would do anything for him if it would restore even a small part of that happiness.

"It doesn't have to be your last," she whispered back, her voice shaking slightly, her body trembling, and not from the cold. Slowly, she craned her neck back and kissed his warm cheek, which only got warmer.

* * *

Thank you for reading Crimson Christmas chapter 2! I hope that last sentence was clear; I couldn't think of any other way to word it. The point is, Sasuke starts blushing, meaning blood rushes to his cheeks, meaning it gets warmer? Is that how biology works? I really don't know. XD

Anyway, thank you again for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the second installment of Crimson Christmas. Chapter 3 is now finished, but I'm leaving to visit family, so it will be up sometime on Christmas day, and the next couple chapters will -hopefully- be up within a week after Christmas. If it gets to be after New Year's, I'll probably just wait to finish it up next year or something...

If you enjoyed the story, hated the story, or see some room for improvement, let me know by writing a review! I love to read them and I respond to every one I get (though sometimes not as fast as I'd like to, sorry!).

Merry Christmas, everyone!

-Uchiha Ryken


	3. Her Christmas Wish

Hey everyone, I'm really sorry that this chapter is a couple days late. I was waiting for my beta-reader to get back to me. I'm glad I waited, as his advice is always helpful in creating the best story I can! This chapter is meant to take place when all the kids are 12 years old, soon after Team 7 has first come together.

Still fun to invent Sakura's father as one of those stereotypical anime dads who try way too hard to make things right (Like Kurosaki Isshin of Bleach or Spirit Albarn of Soul Eater). As a side note, Kishimoto REALLY needs to give Sakura's parents some names. Good grief it was getting really tiresome just saying "Sakura's father," "her father," "her husband," "Mr. Haruno," (that one sounds the worst of all, I know).

I really enjoyed writing this chapter, it just seemed to come together very well in the end, and I feel like things are starting to get a little more serious, as they should be, since they're getting older. And I don't mean serious like physically, more about the deeper themes. Sasuke's troubled past, how Sakura has to counter that with her own light... yeah. I'm liking where this is going. But that's enough of my rambling, I hope you enjoy it!

All characters, techniques, and terms belong to Masashi Kishimoto, creator of the Naruto Universe. The only rights I claim to this story are for the plot. Do not distribute this fic without my permission and proper credit.

* * *

**Her Christmas Wish**

Sakura Haruno happily stretched her arms above her head as she basked in the sunlight reflected off the fresh blanket of snow. Her last mission of the day was completed, and Kakashi Hatake, the Jounin captain of their 3-man cell, had surprised them all by telling them that they were off until the first day of the New Year.

Sakura simply loved the Christmas season. She loved the sparkle of snow in the morning as the sun rose, the decorations, lights, sights, sounds… and the best part was that she never even felt the cold, kept warm by the boiling hatred she felt emanating from her teammate, Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke walked out just a few paces behind her, a flawless scowl painted across his sharp features.

_Oh great, _Sakura sighed. _Here we go again._

"Sasuke-kun, isn't it great? We've got the whole week off!" She turned to him, smiling brightly, hoping to head off his bad attitude early.

"Hn," he grunted as he walked past her.

"Sasuke-kun, please don't start this again!" Sakura begged. Every day for the past two weeks had been the same. Day in, day out, Team 7 completed its tedious D-ranked missions. Day in, day out, Sakura had to listen to Naruto Uzumaki whine about how simple they were. And day in, day out, just when she thought she had escaped the monotony, when she thought she could look forward to a peaceful walk home with her favorite companion, her dreams were shattered by his sudden outburst-

"Why are we getting set up with this crap every day?" Sasuke blurted out, lashing out at the nearby fence with his fist. The wood splintered, but didn't break. Even in his anger, Sasuke could at least restrain his strength.

Sakura took a deep, exasperated breath to prepare her answer, but he continued.

"And don't say it's because we're new Genin and D-rank missions are the best we're going to get! We're better than that, and they know it!"

"Sasuke-kun, that's all there is to it," she said quietly, hoping not to anger him more. "That's how it's always been."

"You know, if we were in another village, we may have already had to kill someone by now, instead of spending every day picking up trash and finding stray cats!" Sasuke clenched his fist, cracking his knuckles loudly.

"That's not something to wish for!" Sakura argued, raising her voice. "Be thankful we live in a peaceful village!"

"Peace," Sasuke said bitterly. "Peace won't prepare me for the day I face _him._"

And here was the root of their problems. The reason Sakura put up with all the arguing every day, and the exact reasoning for those arguments every day. Christmas time reminded Sasuke of family. The family he lost. The family taken from him by his brother, on whom he had sworn revenge.

Sakura could feel his desperation and anger intensify every day closer to Christmas. It happened every year, and yet despite everything she did to try and give him something to look forward to, Sasuke was still only reminded of what he had lost. She couldn't replace his family, and she wouldn't pretend for a moment that she could.

_Sasuke-kun, what can I do to ease your pain? _She thought sadly as he began to walk away. Soon he would cool off and become approachable once more, but she was sick of waiting for that. She just wanted to be a part of his life. Despite the fact that every breakthrough in their relationship had occurred at Christmas time, he still could only associate the holiday with loss, with the years he spent Christmas alone in his empty house on the outskirts of the village.

_Ugh! How could I have been so stupid all this time? _Sakura berated herself as she realized her mistake. How could she expect him to invite her into his life if she constantly kept him on the fringe of her own? _All alone on Christmas for the past four years…_

Last year, the bond between them had finally been restored when he had jumped in to save her during that ridiculous snowball war. And yet, though she had seen him several times over the Christmas break, she had never once invited him to share the holiday with her. He must have spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning the same way as any other year since the death of his family.

_I'm so sorry, Sasuke-kun, _she apologized silently. _I'm sorry I didn't realize what pain you must have been in until now. But I'll make it right, I promise!_

"Sasuke-kun!" She exclaimed, running up alongside him and taking his arm, which he immediately retracted.

"What is it?" He muttered.

"I want you to come to my house Christmas Eve!" She beamed, ignoring his cold response.

"What?" He stared at her like she was insane. But she knew him better than that. He was trying to hide behind that look.

"I want to spend Christmas with you, Sasuke-kun," she repeated softly, blushing.

"What about your family?" He asked, intentionally looking away from that pleading face, so hard to resist. How could a person put on a convincing grouchy attitude with _that_ staring them in the face? "I don't want to butt in to your parent's traditions or anything."

"I'll talk to them as soon as I get home," Sakura assured him. "They'd love to have you, I know it!"

"Sakura, I don't think-"

"Then it's settled! I'm going to go talk to them right now!" Sakura cut him off before he could answer and sprinted down the street as fast as her booted feet would take her through the thick snow, leaving Sasuke alone with his half-completed refusal.

* * *

Of course, the brightest home on the block was Sakura's. Her father had spent weeks framing every window, door, and edge on their house with Christmas lights, reefs, and other holiday decorations. There was a sleigh complete with reindeer on the roof, and a family of snowmen out front.

_No one could ever accuse dad of doing something halfway, _Sakura rolled her eyes and she pushed the front door open. "Mom, Dad, I'm home!"

"That was fast, Sakura," her mother called from the living room, where she was wrapping presents. "You usually aren't home for another 20 minutes. Did you and Sasuke-kun have another fight?"

"We never fight, mom," Sakura glanced away, embarrassed. "He just gets grumpy."

Her mother laughed, tying red ribbon in an extravagant pattern over a gift.

"Calm down, sweetie, it's not as though you were dating or anything."

"Who's dating my Sakura?" Her father came flying down the stairs like a flash of lightning, a look of intensity and betrayal etched into his face. "How could you keep something like this from your father, Sakura? I'm hurt! Who is this boy? I need to warn him what will happen if he breaks your heart!"

"Stop it, dear, you're scaring her!" Sakura's mother scolded.

"But-"

"And you didn't hear me correctly, I said that she _wasn't _dating anyone."

Her father let out a long breath, relieved. "Phew. For a second there, I was worried."

"Sasuke-kun has just proposed," she smiled.

"What?" Her father clutched his heart as though he were having an attack, until Sakura and her mother began laughing, then he only put on a mock-scowl. "It's horrible to tease a father about his only daughter, dear. She's growing up fast. Someday soon it won't be a joke! Some guy will come in here, sweep my precious Sakura off her feet, propose, and we'll be old and alooooone!"

"If only he would!" Sakura sighed, thinking about what it would be like to spend every day in Sasuke's arms.

"What?" Her parents snapped.

"Er… if only he would…" Sakura's mind raced, frantically trying to come up with an excuse. "If only he would stop being so irritable! It's the Christmas season, mom, and he doesn't have anyone to spend Christmas with! It's so sad, and I just know that he's upset because of it!"

Her mother eyed her suspiciously, knowing that, while that may be true, there was definitely more going on.

"I've got it!" Sakura's father exclaimed. "He can spend Christmas Eve with us!"

"Really?" Sakura asked excitedly. _I never thought it'd be this easy!_

"Honey, shouldn't we talk more about this?" Her mother asked hesitantly.

"Nonsense! The poor boy has no family on Christmas! It'd be downright heartless not to invite him into our home, being such a close friend of Sakura's!"

"Yes, it's exactly that closeness that concerns m-"

"Oh, thank you, daddy!" Sakura hugged her father tightly. "I have to tell him right away!"

"I'll go get an extra stocking for Santa!" Her dad grinned. Then the grin faded. "But… I guess you don't believe in Santa anymore, do you?"

Sakura was about to respond honestly, but looking at her father's disappointed face, she thought back to her very first Christmas with Sasuke.

"_Christmas has always been a disappointment to me. I don't want toys and other junk like that. I've always wanted something more," Sakura said. "I don't know if I ever really believed in him… I mean, every Christmas I asked for the same thing, and he never gave it to me."_

"_What did you want?" Sasuke asked curiously._

"_Oh! Um… it's nothing, really," Sakura said hurriedly, turning away again to hide her blush._

"_No, tell me," Sasuke said, smiling. It was the first time Sakura had ever seen him smile._

"_I… I just wanted to spend a Christmas with you," she forced out, hiding her face with her sleeves._

"_With me?" Sasuke asked, surprised._

"_Mmhmm," she nodded behind her hands._

_Sasuke took one of Sakura's hands in his own and stared across the lake as she looked up._

"_Then maybe there is a Santa Claus," he said._

She smiled at the fond memory. "Of course I do, dad."

"Really?" He perked up. "Alright! Hey, as soon as you get home, we're going to go shopping! I hope you know what Sasuke wants for Christmas!"

* * *

Sasuke took a deep breath as he straightened his tie in the mirror. Sakura told him to dress nicely, that her family always wore nice clothes on Christmas Eve when they exchanged their own presents and had their big Christmas dinner. But the last time he had worn anything like this was for a friend of the family's wedding, years ago. He wasn't sure if his tie was too long or too short, or if the knot was the right way. He wasn't even sure if this was the kind of "dress nicely" that Sakura had in mind.

"Aargh…" Sasuke groaned. _Why am I so nervous about this?_

He gave himself one last, hard look in the mirror, finally decided that everything was as good as it was going to get, and left the room. He picked up the small wrapped box for Sakura, crimson paper with an emerald bow, and walked out into the gentle snowfall.

His footsteps made a rhythmic crunching sound through the few inches of snow as he made the journey to Sakura's house near the center of the village. The people he passed were together with family, happily talking with one another, greeting each other as more arrived, or visiting with friends, exchanging gifts before heading back home. He thought of his own family, his neighbors and relatives… the people he'd lost over five years ago.

"Gai-sensei!" A loud voice broke into his thoughts. Rock Lee and the rest of Team Gai were sitting together outside a restaurant. "Is this a gift for me?"

"Of course, my dear Lee!" Maito Gai shouted excitedly. "I have gifts for everyone! Christmas is a time of youthful giving!"

Lee tore through the wrapping paper and gazed upon his gift. His eyes lit up, bright as stars.

"Wow, are these new training weights?" Lee exclaimed.

_Wow, Niisan, is this a new trick shuriken?_

Sasuke shook his head, erasing the memory.

"These are even heavier than my old ones! Thank you so much Gai-sensei!" Lee began removing his old weights from his leggings.

"Neji! Tenten!" Gai turned to his other unfortunate students. "Aren't you going to open your gifts?"

Tenten sighed. "Gai-sensei, it's the same exact size and wrapping as the one you gave Lee. And I can hardly lift it! You just gave us all weights!"

Neji Hyuga's Byakugan activated, the veins around his eyes swelling slightly as he quickly scanned the gifts. He grimaced after only a moment. "She's right."

"Your youthful energy will melt away like the snow in springtime if you don't use it, Tenten! You must train hard daily, just like Lee!"

He turned back to Lee, who had just removed his previous weights and set them down on the table.

CRASH!

The weights broke through the table and left a deep scar in the floor beneath it.

"What the-!" The store manager yelled.

"Lee… you're inhuman," Tenten groaned.

"Who's going to pay for this?"

"I don't suppose he's feeling full enough with Christmas spirit to let you off, do you?" Neji muttered to his teacher.

"If he runs out of that, perhaps his youthful spirit can fill in some of the gaps! Right, Gai-sensei?" Lee cheered.

"Exactly!" Gai replied. "You're learning well, my pupil!"

The store manager only cursed in response.

"Feh," Sasuke turned away to continue his walk. "Morons."

Such carefree people, always allowing their excitement get the better of their common sense. His family had never been like that. The only way to get his father's approval was to be perfect. Perfect grades, perfect accuracy, perfect jutsu. Everything had to be perfect… just like Itachi. What if Sakura's father required perfection as well? What if her parents hated him? He tried to shake the feeling.

No, it must just be his nerves talking. Everything Sakura had told him about her father from the time they were just kids said otherwise. He was excitable, goofy… virtually the polar opposite of everything Sasuke's father had ever been.

"Sasuke?"

He flinched as he turned to the voice behind him, recognizing it as belonging to the captain of his three-man cell, Kakashi Hatake.

"Good evening, Sensei," Sasuke replied. _Oh great, if he figures out what I'm doing here, I'll never hear the end of it…_

"Where are you headed, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked him casually.

"Just out for a walk, Kakashi-sensei," he answered.

"Just out for a walk... alone... on Christmas Eve... while carrying a present?" Kakashi asked, a little less casually.

"The present is _from_ someone, not to them. I'm on my way home now," Sasuke lied, flustered. "What about you? Don't you have someone to bother on Christmas Eve?"

Kakashi laughed to himself. "No, I guess not. I'm too smart to create such troublesome responsibilities."

"What's that supposed to mea-"

"Have fun with Sakura!" Kakashi smile was so big that Sasuke could see it through the mask, just before his teacher vanished in a small puff of smoke.

"Wha- argh, damn it!" Sasuke spat through clenched teeth. No doubt Kakashi would be needling him with this one for weeks. With nothing to do but press forward and hope his teacher would be merciful, Sasuke trod onward.

When he finally reached Sakura's street, it didn't take him long to figure out which house was hers. The majority of the street was lit up with Christmas lights, but only one house put out such an absurd amount of light that it matched the intensity of the others combined. Sasuke walked past the drooping snowmen, which were being partially melted from the heat of all the lights, and knocked on the front door. A few moments later, the latch clicked and the door opened, revealing Sakura in a beautiful red dress.

The dress was narrow at her waist and flared out at her feet, in a scarlet palette that matched both the ribbons in her hair and Sasuke's rapidly reddening face. Before it was completely flushed, Sakura smiled perhaps the brightest he'd ever seen, and pulled him in quickly.

"Sasuke-kun, I'm so happy you're here!" She exclaimed. "And you look so handsome!"

"Uh, thanks," he said awkwardly. He knew he should comment on her outfit as well, knew that she was probably waiting for him to say something, but he couldn't find the words. If there was one image that he believed would be burned into his mind forever, it was the sight of Sakura answering the door: her luminous emerald eyes complementing her perfect red dress, and reflected in those green orbs, a million Christmas lights.

"You look…" he swallowed. Why was this so hard?

She glanced away shyly, waiting to hear the rest. Maybe 'you look cute,' or 'you look pretty,' she would take anything as long as he was happy. She'd spent hours getting ready for this one moment!

"You're beautiful," he said softly.

The deepest blush he'd ever seen adorned her soft features immediately.

"Th-thank you, Sasuke-kun," she said as she hid her face, knowing how red it must be after hearing Sasuke say those words so earnestly, in her home, on Christmas Eve!

There was a brief silence and she thought she might die if she stood there another second with him waiting on her, when her father thankfully burst into the room.

"Welcome to our humble home, Sasuke!" He bellowed. "I've heard a lot about you, lad, I'm glad to finally meet the guy that restored my little girl's faith in Santa Claus!"

"Dad!" Sakura groaned, embarrassed. _Don't say those kinds of things around Sasuke-kun!_

"What?" He asked innocently. With a glance from Sakura, he cleared his throat and held out a hand to Sasuke. "Anyway, nice to meet you, son. I'm glad we could have you for Christmas."

Sasuke shook his outstretched hand. "Thank you for having me."

"If you'd like me to take that from you, I can place it under the tree with the rest of the presents," her father added, indicating to the gift in Sasuke's other arm.

"Um, sure," Sasuke answered awkwardly.

"Alright!" He cheered, snatching the box from Sasuke's hands and running into the other room.

"Uuugh," Sakura rolled her eyes. "Now you'll see first-hand what I've been telling you about for years."

Sasuke smirked. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Oh, hello, Sasuke-kun, I didn't realize that you had arrived," Sakura's mother called as she walked in from the kitchen. "Nice to formally meet you."

"Nice to meet you," Sasuke answered. "Thank you for inviting me to your home on Christmas Eve. I hope I'm not intruding…"

She laughed. "Not at all, Sasuke-kun. We're glad to have you. I know _he's _always ready for more Christmas spirit."

Sasuke laughed politely, and Sakura's mother indicated to the kitchen with a nod. "Sakura, would you like to help me set the table for your guest?"

"Sure thing, mom!" Sakura beamed, happy to get away for just a moment. She was still waiting for the blush to leave her face from earlier, after all.

"He'll be back in a moment, I'm sure, Sasuke-kun," Sakura's mother said as she made her way back into the kitchen. "Until then, make yourself at home."

Sakura followed her mother and began to set the table, using the best dinnerware they had, of course.

"He seems like a nice boy," her mother commented.

"Already, mom?" Sakura groaned. "Not ten seconds after you talk to him?"

"That's my job, honey," she answered sweetly. "It's so tragic what happened to his family. For him to be so polite and good-natured after what happened really says something about his character. I'm glad that you've set your sights on him rather than one of those rowdy boys I see running all around the village."

"Mom…" Sakura muttered awkwardly.

"I know, I know," her mother held her hands up in surrender. "I'm just saying I approve of him. He seems like a very charming young man."

"Mmhmm," Sakura smiled. Embarrassed, but more than happy to agree.

"And so handsome."

"Mom!"

* * *

Dinner was served, with a thousand delectable sights and scents mixing together in a way that would make even the most cultured person drool in anticipation. Roasted turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, golden dinner rolls, and rich stuffing, it was the most extravagant meal Sasuke had seen since his mother's own Christmas dinner, five years ago.

"Mmmm, this looks delicious, mom!" Sakura praised.

"Pass your plates on down here and I'll carve this bird up!" Sakura's father called as he slid two knives against each other rhythmically.

_So similar, but so different from my own family,_ Sasuke thought solemnly. The same meal, the same arrangements, but Sasuke's family meals were dominated by the stern glare of his father, a serious atmosphere of contemplation, while Sakura's father goofed off and cracked jokes, and there was an expectation of honest sharing at the dinner table.

"What'cha think, Sasuke?" Sakura's father asked, interrupting his thoughts. "Can I cut a bird or can't I?"

"Like you have anything to do with out it tastes!" Sakura laughed. "Mom's been working for hours to get everything just right!"

He laughed. "I know, I know. Your mother is amazing and poor old dad can't do anything right."

"That's not what I-"

"It's written all across your face, dear! He yelled, pretending to be hurt. "Soon you will have no use for dear old dad!"

"Dad, that's not-"

"It's great, Mr. Haruno!" Sasuke interjected. "Everything tastes great!"

_Thank you, Sasuke-kun, _Sakura thought. She was glad he could take her father's antics in stride.

"You think so, Sasuke? Hear that, Sakura? At least someone appreciates me!"

Sakura's only response was a long, slow sigh.

"So, Sasuke-kun," her mother opened. "We usually eat Christmas Eve dinner, have dessert, then go into the room with the Christmas tree and open up presents. Are there any special Christmas traditions that you would like us to observe?"

Thinking back on it, Sasuke could only remember doing the same things with his family. Nothing different jumped out at him, that he could recall. Dinner, presents, usually a combined gift to his parents, and then a new present that he would want to practice with immediately. Cheerfully, he would turn and ask his brother-

Sasuke had been cutting his turkey, but his hands stopped moving, instead clenching the silverware tighter in his fists.

_Itachi!_

Not the ideal brother he had envisioned. Every kind word that traitorous bastard had uttered, every smile he had given, and every time he took the time to teach Sasuke some new trick… every thing was just a cruel joke. A performance.

"_It's not true. My brother wouldn't do this." Sasuke's trembling voice muttered in disbelief. "Because-"_

"_Pretending to be the kind of brother you hoped for…" Itachi interrupted. "…was to determine your ability. You'll become the one through whom I can confirm my ability. You have that potential."_

Everything he did was done to mold Sasuke into the perfect avenger, one that would take vengeance on their once noble clan.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura's mother asked curiously, noticing the change in atmosphere.

_Itachi… you spared me as a test for yourself, _Sasuke thought bitterly. _I'll make you see what a mistake that was._

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura called louder by his ear, touching his hand. Instantly, he snapped out of whatever trance he had been in.

"I'm sorry," he recovered. "What was the question?"

Not quite sure what to make of what just happened, Sakura's mother tried again. "Um, I was just asking you-"

"Mom, don't bully him!" Sakura broke in, putting on the best fake smile she could muster. "She's just doing this to try to figure you out, Sasuke-kun, you don't have to play her game."

"She did the same thing to me on our first date!" Her father suddenly pounded a fist on the table as though he'd had an epiphany. "So that's how you knew my favorite holiday was Christmas without me telling you!"

"Honey, you _did_ tell me. It was the first thing you said to me."

"What?"

After dessert, they had opened up presents by the Christmas tree, Sakura's father always the most excited person in the room no matter who was opening the present. Sasuke was surprised that they even had a few gifts wrapped for him, but Mr. Haruno only said that if Sasuke was going to spend Christmas Eve in his home, he was going to be just like family. Sasuke thanked him for his generosity, and soon found himself swept up in some of the Christmas cheer that Sakura's father exuded continuously.

When it came time for Sakura to open her present from Sasuke, he could hardly breathe, suddenly second-guessing himself on every thought and decision that had led him to eventually buy the dangling earrings that looked like holly leaves. His nerves dissipated when she gasped in delight and immediately switched out the earrings with the ones she had been wearing. The red and green perfectly matched her dress and eyes.

After the gifts had been given, the family sat by the roaring fireplace and talked for hours. Finally, after about the third time Sakura's father had fallen asleep mid-sentence, her mother woke him up and decided to head to bed.

"Don't stay up too late, you two," she said as she shook her husband. "Sasuke-kun, there are extra blankets in the closet in the guest room if you need them."

"Thank you."

"Thanks, mom."

"Goodnight," she said as she rounded the corner, her husband on her heels.

"Goodnight!" The two children said in unison.

"Wait a second!" Sakura's father, finally fully awake, whispered fiercely as soon as they rounded the corner. "We're leaving them alone?"

"I'm sure they'll be fine," his wife answered as she began to walk up the stairs. He grabbed her wrist before she could and pulled her back to the edge of the room, where he slowly peeked his head around.

"Just look at him!" He whispered. "He's a handsome young boy and our cute little Sakura-chan is too much for him! His body is a sea of raging hormones about to overflow! Who knows what kinds of terrible things he could be plotting at this very moment!"

"Honey, he's twelve," she answered in deadpan, taking his arm. "He's probably never even thought about kissing a girl."

"Kiss?" He struggled, but his wife had his arm firmly and started dragging him up the stairs. "Noooooo! My innocent little flower! So vulnerable! Daddy will save you! Nooooooo!"

* * *

The crackling fire could be heard clearly in the otherwise silent room, lit dimly only by the soft orange flames and Christmas lights wound around the tree. Sasuke and Sakura were seated on the cozy, plush couch not ten feet away, a blanket draped across their laps.

"I'm sorry for what happened at dinner," Sasuke said softly, unable to bear the silence. "Thank you for covering for me."

"It's okay," Sakura smiled, pulling her legs up underneath her and leaning against his shoulder. "I'm glad that I got to save you, for once."

"Hn," he smirked.

"You did just fine," she murmured. "Mom and dad really like you."

"Good," he answered.

"But not half as much as I do," she said, nuzzling closer to him.

He laid his head against hers in response.

"Thank you," he whispered. "For sharing your home and family with me for Christmas."

"I'm glad you came," she answered, her left hand coming up to play with his tie. "And glad that you played dress-up for me."

He swatted her hand aside gently and tugged his tie loose. "Hn, so you know how much I hate this."

"Of course," she laughed softly. "That's what makes it better."

"Hn. Whatever," he scoffed.

She only laughed more. He took her hand in his.

"It was worth it… " he said, bringing her hand to his lips softly. "…to see you like this."

Even in the pale light, he could see her blush.

"Thank you," she murmured.

They stared in silence for a moment at the dying fire.

"You know, if we're sitting here in front of the fire, Santa won't be happy to see us awake," Sasuke said, recalling the last Christmas his mother had joked with him. "Not to mention he'll catch on fire."

Sakura laughed gently again, the sweetest sound he could imagine.

"Well, if he's going to yell at me, I'm at least going to take the opportunity to personally deliver my Christmas wish," she said, yawning.

"Your Christmas wish?"

She snuggled up closer against him. "I wish I could spend Christmas this way every year."

He ran his fingers gently through her pink tresses until he could feel the rhythmic breathing against his body, signaling her slumber.

"That's my wish too."

* * *

Thank you for reading Crimson Christmas chapter 3! I'm hoping that chapter 4 will be up sometime around Christmas day, and the next couple chapters will -hopefully- be up within a week after Christmas. If it gets to be after New Year's, I'll probably just wait to finish it up next year or something...

If you enjoyed the story, hated the story, or see some room for improvement, let me know by writing a review! I love to read them and I respond to every one I get (though sometimes not as fast as I'd like to, sorry!). If you want more SasuSaku for your holiday break, check out Crimson Evanescence! I've also got a NejiTen and a NaruHina in stock! Take a look around if you get the chance!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

-Uchiha Ryken


	4. Christmas Isn't the Same Without You

Finally, after two years of school, and writer's block or something, I have finally finished this chapter and uploaded it! If by some miracle you have been waiting for this update, or checking in on me at all, you are an amazing person and you deserve a medal! Otherwise, I still thank you for checking out this fic, and it's been a lot of fun to write. This chapter is meant to take place when Sasuke and Sakura are 15 years old, soon after Team 7 has partially disbanded.

Again, I'm pretty happy with the progression of both relationship and character nuances, and Sakura's answer to Sasuke's darkness takes kind of an interesting twist this time around. At least I think so. Hope you like it!

All characters, techniques, and terms belong to Masashi Kishimoto, creator of the Naruto Universe. The only rights I claim to this story are for the plot. Do not distribute this fic without my permission and proper credit.

* * *

**Christmas Just Isn't the Same Without You**

_Drip, drip, drip…_

The sound of a bead of moisture falling to the stone floor reverberated endlessly throughout the cavernous halls. Perpetually humid, dank, cold and empty, this one of many lairs Orochimaru had kept hidden from the world was no different than any other musty cave, aside from the solemn young man being kept awake by his tumultuous thoughts as he paced the dimly lit corridors that passed as hallways in this gloomy refuge.

This was no isolated occurrence. Uchiha Sasuke had long been tormented by a darker past than most, and as a result had lived a darker life than most. He had made more than one deal with the devil in exchange for the power to avenge his clan. Some of these deals were necessary evils- things that, over time, he had come to accept, and even become pleased with the results.

Some of them burdened him to this day.

For nearly three years, the days had meant nothing to Sasuke. Days of the week, dates on the calendar, nothing mattered but the clarity that came with each morning he woke with the intent to become more powerful by the time he slept that night. Every day he lived felt unearned. Every moment was borrowed time, every breath a temporary loan, courtesy of his older brother. Sasuke should have died that night, eight years ago. Itachi spared him when he could have slaughtered him, initiating Sasuke's life of servitude. He would never be free until he killed that man. He lived each day with that philosophy, and therefore each day ran into the next without discernment.

Each day but this one.

This day held memories that tore at his heart and soul. No matter how hard he tried to blot out its existence from his mind, fate had inscribed the earth with its significance.

A frigid breeze swept through the hall as Sasuke approached the stairs leading to the heavy wooden door that closed him off to the outside world. A bright light shined through the crack beneath the portal to the outside world, accompanying the arctic zephyr. It was eerily silent, save for the whispering of the wind as it crept beneath the gateway. Sasuke took a deep breath as he reached for the iron handle with a shaky hand. As the door opened, Sasuke closed his eyes, bracing himself for the cold.

White moonlight enveloped him, reflected off an unfathomable number of crystals formed of frost and snow. Ice cocooned each branch and twig, glistening brightly under the full moon hovering just beyond the snow-laden forest. The only sounds were the creaking of the trees as they swayed gently in the breeze, and the soft crunch of his footsteps in the snow. He opened his eyes slowly, taking in the breathtaking scene. The beauty of the colorless landscape was indescribable.

Thousands of tiny snowflakes assaulted his exposed flesh, but he didn't feel them. They swirled and danced before his piercing gaze, but he didn't see them.

_She would have loved to see this_.

* * *

The fireplace was still aglow with yellow-orange flames, the crackling of burning embers continuing to sound throughout the otherwise quiet home. Cozy and serene, this home was no different from any other across Konoha, aside from the pensive girl being kept awake by her anguished thoughts as she curled up tighter beneath her blankets.

Despite the warmth of the fire and her plush quilts, Haruno Sakura was still touched by the cold of winter. There was emptiness in her heart that exposed her to the elements; to loneliness and grief. She felt the chill more acutely here in her own home than outside in the falling snow. The only difference was that if she were outside, the tears in her emerald globes would have frozen to her porcelain features.

The silky jade pajamas she wore were a bit long; the sleeves would drape over her knuckles when she held her arms at her sides. She could barely expose her slender fingers enough to brush away her tears, or the stubborn strands of hair that fell before her face.

Absently, she reached up and tucked a pink thread behind her ear as she watched the snowfall beyond her window. A heavy breath escaped her pale lips, clouding the glass, and she wiped the condensation away with her sleeve. How could she be expected to sleep peacefully tonight?

This night was Christmas Eve. Tsunade had given Sakura the holiday off, and so she had spent the evening with her parents and her traditions. But one tradition still felt unfulfilled. It seemed silly, even to herself, to think of it as a "tradition." After all, this event had only happened once in fifteen years, it could scarcely be considered convention.

The vacant space next to her mirrored the emptiness in her heart. The same thing was missing in both cases. Or rather, the same person. She thought back to a Christmas years ago, in this very room, this very spot, where she spent the night in his arms, feeling his fingers play gently with her hair.

Exasperated, she threw off her blanket, swung her legs over the side of the couch, and walked to the door. She reached for the doorknob, and then reconsidered, reaching for her coat, earmuffs, and slippers. After hurriedly putting them on, she gripped the knob, but again, hesitated.

_Are you really going to go out there? What do you hope to find?_

Ignoring her own thoughts, she twisted the knob, pulled the door open, and darted through the ankle-deep snow.

She ran for several minutes, not knowing where she was going or when she would stop, passing the brightly lit streets of Konoha and making her way to the edge of the village. The path was familiar, but she couldn't name it. Her pace slowed from a run to a light jog, as she glanced around, trying to get her bearings. Her jog became a walk, and she looked behind her to see if she could gain some sort of clue as to where she was from where she had come.

Her mind was blank, as though she knew where she was, but kept it secret from herself. As if her subconscious mind was whispering to her, _just wait and see._

Deciding to trust her instincts, Sakura continued down her path until she came to the end of the road, discontinuing suddenly in front of a line of snow-laden trees. Sensing that what she was seeking was just beyond them, Sakura gently moved the branches aside and stepped through.

What awaited her on the other side was a picture of beauty. This secluded part of the village saw no traffic whatsoever. The snow was pristine, untouched, and the trees were entombed in snow, weighing their thick branches nearly to the ground. Reflections of the full moon and a million stars shone brightly over the frozen lake.

_I wish he were here to see this, _she thought with wonder.

Her feet had taken her to the place she held most special. These ice-bound waters were present when she had first held his hand, when she had first shared herself with him, and he with her. Of course she would come to this place when she missed him so.

It was this place that had brought them closer. For a time, life had been perfect. On the weekends when they didn't have academy classes, she and Sasuke would come to this spot and talk and laugh until the sun dipped beneath the trees and the lake turned orange as it reflected the horizon.

Alas, her paradise did not last long. Only months later, Sasuke became the sole survivor of the renowned Uchiha clan. She didn't see or hear from him for days; he had just disappeared. There was a great commotion in the village, but her parents would not speak of it even when she pressed them. A week passed, and she finally saw him again, but he was no longer the Sasuke she had come to know and love. This Sasuke had aged a decade in a week. When he walked into the classroom for the first time, she could feel the chill from across the room. They could all feel it. She was afraid of him, afraid even to look at him. Several days passed where she didn't say a word to him. She had tried so hard, but each time she approached him, she began to tremble. Her hand that reached out to touch his shoulder shriveled back and fell to her side. When she finally gathered the courage to talk to him, he stared at her as he would a stranger.

"_Don't concern yourself with me," _he had said. _"I don't have time for games anymore."_

The way he said it had crushed her. As if everything they had done together had merely been a game! She knew from the day she saw him that she would love him for the rest of her life, no matter what happened.

Sasuke was true to his word. From that day forward, he never did anything that could even resemble a "game." He worked hard in school, he stayed late to hone his skills, and he walked home alone, to the isolated estate that had belonged to his family. No student was his equal, or even close. Anyone that dared challenge him to a sparring match, believing in his own skill or perhaps hoping to get lucky enough to defeat the peerless student of the prestigious clan, was mercilessly beaten. Sasuke took no joy in victory, ever looking to his next opponent. His gaze was focused on the future, piercing straight through Sakura no matter how patiently she waited.

In no time, Sasuke became the heartthrob. Every girl in class fell in love with his skill, his looks, his indifference, and his darkness. Sakura desperately feared that he would take an interest in one of them. A girl who was prettier or smarter or stronger than her. It wasn't fair. Those other girls were just children with a crush! They didn't love him as she did– they didn't even know him! But years passed by without change. Sasuke didn't acknowledge her, or any other girl for that matter, and she began to lose hope that he ever would.

Until the day he had come to her rescue.

From that day forward, she no longer worried that Sasuke would fall for another. His affections for her were as singularly directed as every other aspect of his life. Though he certainly never expressed them as openly as she may have liked, they became obvious to her over time. He was fiercely protective of her.

She sighed dreamily, recalling the way his crimson eyes would flare up in anger or jealousy at a passerby who had dared to gaze a bit too long in her direction.

And though, at first, this was the only emotional response she often was able to get out of him, there came a time when he finally opened his guarded heart to her, and let the walls between them fall away…

Sakura smiled softly to herself, remembering that night by the fireplace so long ago…

* * *

Sasuke grit his teeth in frustration. How could he appreciate the beauty of this landscape without seeing it reflected in her emerald eyes? How could he enjoy the silence of this night without hearing her sweet laughter?

No matter how hard he tried to bury his longing for Sakura with his hatred for Itachi, he couldn't help but think of her on this day. Christmas would always belong to her, for saving him from his loneliness.

_And yet… here I am, alone again._

This was the third Christmas apart from her. Somehow he thought it would become easier over time. He was wrong. Each year brought only more misery. He clung to the memories of their past with the desperation of a drowning man grasping for a lifeline. He could still visualize her as clearly as if she were standing before him. Her hair was elegantly coiled with a ruby ribbon dancing through it, the same color as the dress that traced her slender form. And her eyes, viridescent gems, sparkling with the reflection of a million Christmas lights. He could lose himself in those eyes for an eternity.

He could still see the fire dancing in those eyes as he held her that night, could still feel her silky pink hair between his fingers. He could hear her whisper in his ear…

_"I wish I could spend Christmas this way every year."_

And he knew his response.

"_That's my wish too."_

Why did he tell her that, knowing he would have to leave her behind? How could he have betrayed her trust, knowing full well he was promising something he wouldn't give?

* * *

_How could he have promised such a thing, knowing it wasn't true?_

Her smile faded quickly, recalling his final words that night. As she had fallen into the most comfortable sleep of her life, curled up in front of the fire against his strong frame, lulled by the steady beating of his heart, she was sure she had heard him say those words. How she had hoped they were true! For as long as she could remember, it had been her fondest dream to be the sole object of Sasuke's attention. As a self-centered child, she wished to steal him away from the other girls. As a naïve pre-teen, she wished to save him from himself, his guilt and his loneliness.

_And now… as a desperate teenager, I wish to salvage his soul from darkness._

Everything was so different from how she had envisioned her life as a young girl. True, the life of a kunoichi was never glamorized as an easy road with a happy ending, but of course as a child she believed it would be so! She would have good friends, would find the man of her dreams, would be a skillful and accomplished ninja, and save the village from the bad guys.

She never expected that her closest friend would become her rival in love. She didn't expect that the man of her dreams would be so difficult to captivate. Nor did she foresee that her first real mission would bring him so close to death. Just thinking of Sasuke's lifeless eyes as he lay pierced by a dozen icy senbon was enough to make her shiver. For the first time, she wasn't sure if she was strong enough for the life she had chosen. But, as always, Sasuke promised her that he would become stronger. That he would be ready next time.

Nothing could have prepared them for what they faced in the Forest of Death. There was nothing Sasuke could have done to be ready to face Orochimaru, the legendary serpentine Sannin. There was nothing she could do, nothing Sasuke could do. Orochimaru placed the cursed seal upon him, and in doing so, cursed Sakura's destiny as well. He cursed the happy future she had always envisioned.

Not even sure if Sasuke would survive the night, Sakura stood watch over her two friends, praying no one found them. There was no way she could fight a whole cell by herself, if she could even fight a single person. She cursed her powerlessness. If not for Lee and Team Ten, they would have been dead. Before they arrived, the Sound Genin nearly killed her. She thought it was over, thought she wouldn't even be able to tell Sasuke goodbye.

Then he woke up. What should have been relief at the appearance of a savior was instead terror at the advent of a demon.

"_Sakura," his voice made her jump. It was completely devoid of comfort, something she was accustomed to hearing, and desperately seeking now. "Who did this to you?"_

_She couldn't answer. Her throat closed and her body wouldn't obey her thoughts._

"_Sakura."_

_What did Orochimaru do to him? His chakra was visible, dark, and ferocious. His eyes were merciless. Something like black flame spread across his face._

"_Tell me. Who hurt you?"_

_She couldn't speak. The fear enveloped her every muscle and nerve._

"_I did," one of the Sound ninja said smugly._

_The next thirty seconds were a blur. One moment, they were trading threats, the next, she was watching Sasuke wrench the boy's arms out of their sockets. His face was pure satisfaction, from the intensity in his eyes to the smirk on his lips._

He enjoyed that power. Somehow she knew right then that he would never be the same. In the following months, Sasuke became obsessed with victory, with testing himself and his strength. She barely even saw him in the month before the second phase of the Chuunin exam, and when she did, he was distracted, as though he were living in a separate time, merely sojourning in the present. When asked what was the matter, he simply smiled and told her he was tired from training so hard. She broke down more than once, begging him not to fight Gaara, afraid that he would be hurt as Lee had, or worse. He held her in his arms, told her it would be alright, told her he had an ace up his sleeve. Then he would leave with Kakashi-sensei for more training.

It only got worse as time went on. He began to compare himself to Naruto, something he never bothered to do before. They were getting in more fights, and Sasuke seemed less confident with every one. When she thanked him for saving her from Gaara, he clenched his fist so hard his knuckles popped.

"…_It wasn't me."_

"_Hmm?"_

"_I… was powerless to save you," he wouldn't look at her, staring far off into the distance. "Naruto... he fought desperately to save you. And I…" _

"_Sasuke-kun…"_

"_I'm sorry, Sakura. I promise… I'll be stronger for you. I'll learn how to use this cursed seal and-"_

"_You will do no such thing!" She snapped._

"_But Sakura-"_

"_Promise me!" She put on her best impression of his unyielding glare, until she could hold it no longer, and tears marred her impersonation. "Please, Sasuke-kun," she fell forward into his waiting arms. "Please, promise me you won't."_

Of course he agreed. No matter how strong Uchiha Sasuke appeared to the outside world, she knew he could never refuse her while his shirt soaked up her tears. To her knowledge, he even kept this promise– up until _that_ incident.

Uchiha Itachi's appearance in Konoha, and his interest in Naruto alone, were the final two nails in her perfect life's coffin. Sakura had no idea what was happening. Suddenly he was at her house, barreling past her father's exuberant welcome up the stairs and straight into her room.

"_Sakura, he's here!" Sasuke panted, clearly having sprinted all the way here._

"_Wait Sasuke-kun, slow down!" She answered, flustered, not expecting him and not at all prepared. A twelve year old girl thinking that the end of the world was her significant other bursting into her room when she hadn't even brushed her hair today. "Who's here?"_

_His eyes took on a murderous gleam._

"_Itachi," he said it like a curse._

_Suddenly she realized that the end of the world was indeed here, but not for the reason she had thought._

"_Sasuke," she whispered, her voice trembling. "What are you going to d-"_

_He closed the distance between them in an instant, silencing her with a somewhat graceless, yet perfectly wonderful kiss. What followed was neither._

"_This is it, Sakura. This is the end. If I don't come back-"_

"_Sasuke-kun, if you don't think-"_

"_I love you, Sakura."_

Those were the last words he said to her before she got the call from the hospital. Both Sasuke and Kakashi were there, in critical condition. Her life collapsed before her eyes. Everything good had been stolen from her. She spent day and night at his side, with no change. She thought she heard him speak to her, but it was only unconscious mumbling against his inner demons. She was at her breaking point when Lady Tsunade arrived. Hope was restored, and she thought that her life could resemble something of that childish dream again.

But his eyes were dark once more.

_Why, Sasuke-kun? _She thought anguished, the water of the lake becoming blurred. She wiped her eyes roughly with her too-long sleeve. _Why did you tell me that when you planned to leave me all along?_

* * *

_I meant it, Sakura, _he swore behind clenched teeth. _When I told you I loved you, I meant it!_

Watching his family murdered through the bloody kaleidoscope of Tsukuyomi for the second time broke something inside him. A great evil stared him in the face, and only he could bring justice. The images of his dying parents cried out to him, how could he live as though nothing was wrong? When he awoke from his nightmares in the hospital room, her face was the first thing he saw. Her gorgeous green eyes were filled with fear, and he cursed himself for what he had done to her.

And for what he would have to do to her again.

Every day at the hospital was a waking nightmare. Itachi possessed his every thought, twisting his mind such that he began to hate everything and everyone around him, cursing the peaceful village for his lack of strength. Only Sakura was exempt from his rage, but he knew that she could see his transformation. The hope that brightened those viridian eyes died a little each day.

He knew that what he said was hurting her. He knew that the hatred he spit from his mouth like bile caused her pain. Especially when it was directed at Naruto. He couldn't help himself. The entire village was in an uproar about Naruto, who sought out and returned Tsunade to her rightful place as Hokage, who saved her from Kabuto, from Orochimaru, who mastered some amazing jutsu created by the Fourth Hokage himself. And Itachi… Itachi had only been interested in Naruto. How… how did he become so strong?

It was only natural that after days of thinking this way, stuck in the hospital day and night with nothing but his anguished memories and his seething thoughts playing out again and again, that they fought. She begged him not to, but he _had_ to find out for himself.

All that he found was his own weakness. And Naruto's strength. What made him so strong? Where did he acquire such power? He felt like there was a hint to that strength in what Kakashi said afterward, but he didn't have time to unravel his teacher's words. The Sound Four's invitation brought the clarity he sought. His path was clear. He had to seek out Orochimaru. His power had exploded with the cursed seal, and now he was stagnant again. To avenge his clan, to restore his family's honor, to bring justice to his treacherous brother, this should have been the only path before him.

But it wasn't. Staring at the picture of Team Seven on his dresser, and the picture next to it of he and Sakura at Christmas the year before, his clarity was lost. She brought chaos to an already chaotic mind. He couldn't be sure that he was thinking straight, and became more convinced that he wasn't with each passing moment he stared at those damn green eyes. They possessed a hypnosis on him more potent than the Sharingan, he swore.

His bag was packed. He had only to leave. If he could just find the strength to move his legs!

She would never understand. If he left her now without saying goodbye, she would hate him forever. But that was how it had to be. He had to make it so he couldn't come back. If he went to her now, he didn't know if he could ever leave.

He lay the pictures face-down, and turned to the door.

* * *

Sakura waved goodbye to Naruto, feeling a little better about the whole thing. Naruto didn't seem to hold a grudge against Sasuke for what he did, and when she explained what had happened in the Forest of Death, with Orochimaru, and the cursed seal, he had some new information for her as well.

"_So that's what happened…" Naruto mused, his eyes sharpening. "Orochimaru… I met him while I was away."_

"_What?"_

"_He was one of the Sannin. He's really powerful…" he continued, looking off into the distance. "…and dangerous."_

_Idiot, Sakura thought, that's not what I needed to hear…_

_Seeming to notice her sudden change in mood, Naruto smiled reassuringly._

"_Don't worry!" He smirked. "Sasuke won't be tempted by him! He's super strong too! I promise!"_

As she walked home, reflecting on the conversation, Sakura felt a sudden chill. Her feet stopped moving. Suddenly she was running the other way, toward the village gates. She could feel that something was terribly wrong, and she only prayed that she wasn't too late. For what, she didn't know, but she had to get there right away!

After what seemed like an eternity, she reached the gates, panting. It was empty. No one was here. Nothing was amiss. Was she just jumping at shadows? Maybe her concern had been misplaced.

_Or maybe not, _she thought as she heard the soft sound of footsteps approaching.

Her worst fears were realized when she saw Sasuke walking towards her from the opposite direction, with a backpack slung over his shoulders.

"_Sakura?" He looked like a child caught red-handed in the cookie jar. "What are you doing here? It's the dead of night."_

_She answered him with a sudden clarity that she didn't realize she had._

"_This road is the only way out of the village."_

* * *

_How could she be here? He thought dejectedly. What should I do now?_

_He thought he had made up his mind to leave. But of course his heart wavered when she appeared in front of him. There was only one way to leave himself with nothing here. He thought leaving her in silence would make her hate him, but now he would have to play the part in person._

"_Just go to bed," he said dismissively, walking past her. How long could he keep this up? The hurt in her eyes was a knife in his chest. He felt sick. He could only hope that she would understand it was over and crumple silently. He felt like a monster just for thinking it but-_

_Three quick footsteps told him she wouldn't simply give up, and he turned his head to spurn her one last time, only to see too late the hand streaking toward his cheek._

_SLAP!_

"_What do you think you're doing, Sasuke-kun?"_

_He only stared back in stunned silence._

"_Do you think that if you act tough, I won't be able to tell?" Her tears looked more like they were boiling out from those emerald eyes than simply spilling over. Truly, she was becoming a frighteningly adamant girl. "Well, Sasuke-kun?"_

"_Hn," he smirked. "I guess not."_

_She slapped him again, harder._

"_Try again!" She fumed._

"_You're so beautiful when you're fired up," he said wistfully._

_She slapped him again. He suppressed the curse in his throat, ending in a painful groan. At least it was a softer hit this time, but on top of the other two,__ that wasn't much consolation_. He raised his eyes once more to hers, and watched the anger leave them. Watched the quivering of her lips and spread his arms.

"_No, Sasuke-kun!" She snapped angrily._

"_Sakura," he sighed gently. "Do you think that if you act tough, I won't be able to tell?"_

_She fell into his waiting embrace, hot tears soaking into his shoulder._

* * *

"_I'm sorry, Sakura," he choked out as he held her tighter in his arms, resting his head against hers so that he was whispering directly into her ear. In all the years Sakura had known him, it was the only time she had heard his voice shake. The first time she felt a tear slide from his cheek to hers. "I'm so sorry."_

"_Please don't leave me alone," she cried, her arms clutching him awkwardly around the backpack he wore. She wove one hand into his raven hair, pulling his temple to her own. "Please… stay here with me."_

"_I… I can't," he said through clenched teeth. "That man… he killed my father, my mother, my family and my friends. They deserve justice, Sakura. I'm the only one who can give it to them."_

_She took a shaky breath in an attempt to calm her fragile nerves. Somehow she had always known it would come to this moment. Every day she spent with Sasuke she tried to make him see how much happier he would be with her, but he carried a weight on his soul that she couldn't relieve. _

_A lump formed in her throat, preventing her from making any other argument, any plea that might delay him for even one more second. Only a desperate squeak forced its way out as he began to remove himself from her embrace, and he smiled. A strong, calloused hand cupped her face, gently wiping her tears away with its thumb._

"_I will walk this path in the darkness," Sasuke said compassionately. "This is something I have to do… something I knew I would have to do from the beginning. I knew I would have to walk away from everything. I tried, Sakura."_

_He grinned._

"_I tried not to fall for you."_

_He leaned in swiftly, and she stole one last kiss she couldn't possibly deserve, pressing her lips against his roughly, threading her fingers through his dark hair, pulling him closer, ever closer. _

_This moment couldn't end… if she allowed it to end, her world would crumble. If she lay down tonight to sleep, she would wake up to a life without him._

* * *

"_Please…" she begged, tears like rivers streaming down her cheeks. "Please, Sasuke-kun. I know you. This isn't worth it. Revenge won't make anyone happy… not me, not you…"_

"_My happiness means nothing next to the vengeance of my clan," he answered softly. "The Uchiha deserve justice. I'm the only one who can give it to them."_

"_I don't understand, Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered, burying her face into his shoulder suddenly, wrapping her arms around his neck, as though she could keep him to herself this way._

"_I'm sorry, Sakura. But this is something that I must do."_

"_I can't lose you," she cried. "Please Sasuke-kun, if you can't stay here… then take me with you. I would do anything for you."_

_His heart ached as his world was breaking, divided in two before his eyes. Sasuke knew it would come to this, as much as he hoped it wouldn't. He had considered taking Sakura with him, selfishly keeping to himself what he cherished most in the world, while asking her to give up everything in her own. But what would happen to her then? Would Orochimaru even permit her to see him? Would Konoha brand her a traitor alongside Sasuke? Would her fragile heart bear the loss of her friends and family?_

"_Sakura, it's too dangerous. If something happened to you, I…" He felt a lump in his throat, and the tears that he had tried to suppress threatened to flow once more. "I can't lose you like that."_

"_But you'll give me up like this?" She whispered. Curse her quick wit._

_What could he say to convince her he loved her, but that this was something he felt he must do?_

* * *

"_I will never give you up," Sasuke whispered back fiercely. "Please believe me, Sakura, when I tell you that I do not choose justice over you. I choose you, but justice must come first. I can't give you everything you deserve until this burden is lifted."_

_Strangely, even to herself, she understood. She had always hoped that she could free his soul from the prison of guilt, but she understood now that she had waited too long to confront it. If she had realized sooner, when he was a mere child, wading knee-deep on the shores of hatred, maybe she could have saved him before he walked out to drown in its ocean._

_She had lost this battle, but she would not lose him._

"_I still don't believe you will find any peace in the path you take," she said slowly. "The road you walk will be filled with suffering, and you have condemned me to that road as well. As time passes, your hatred for Itachi will replace your love for me."_

"_Sakura, I…" he seemed at a loss for words. Whether because he knew it was true or hoped it wasn't, she couldn't tell._

"_You might try to forget me to spare yourself the pain, but I promise you, Sasuke-kun, I will mourn your absence every day of my life," she smiled sadly. "Christmas, most of all. And no matter what you become, I hope that on that day you will remember who you are right now."_

* * *

That was the curse she placed on him that day. As Sasuke looked out across the frozen landscape, he remembered once more why sleep eluded him on this night.

_Sakura, you clever little vixen. Condemning me to relive that agonizing moment each year I am away, _he smiled to himself. _No doubt to hasten my return._

And what was keeping him now? Truthfully, there was little more Orochimaru could teach him. Sasuke could sense the snake's growing ambition. He would play his final card soon. Sasuke would be ready.

His eyes gazed toward the horizon, in the direction of Konoha. Orochimaru moved locations every few weeks. This particular hideout was only a day's journey from the village. Sasuke could cut that in half. By morning, he could be knocking on her door, awaiting that scarlet angel with ribbons in her hair and the smile that made his heart ache.

Sasuke took a step forward…

* * *

Sakura took a step back from the beautiful scene. Then another. Finally she turned away, breaking the spell that had kept her there for so long. She made her way back through the snow slowly, thinking that she may finally be able to get some sleep now.

_Sasuke-kun, you may think it cruel of me to wish that upon you, but you don't realize how lucky you are…_

A single tear rolled down her porcelain skin, freezing to her rouged cheek.

…_for I relive that tragic moment each night I close my eyes._

She opened the front door to her home and slipped inside quietly. Removing her snow apparel, she tiptoed back to the couch by the fireplace, now nothing but warm embers, and slid under her toasty blanket.

_Hurry back, Sasuke-kun. Christmas just isn't the same without you._

* * *

Sasuke took a step forward, and stopped. He turned around to stare into the black hallway. If he left now, he could be there by morning. He could abandon his training with Orochimaru, abandon the hunt for Itachi, and live his own life. He would not be the avenger Itachi prepared him to be. There would be no avenger. All it would take is this one moment.

Sasuke stepped into the darkness.

There must be an avenger.

_I'm sorry, Sakura._

_I can't walk away just yet._

_But I will see you again, soon._

_Christmas just isn't the same without you._

* * *

Thank you for reading Crimson Christmas chapter 4! It is my personal goal to write chapter 5 over this break, but I won't promise anything. There are a lot of things I want to write and I hope that these next few quarters see some progress there, because I should have a little more free time, hopefully. Keep your fingers crossed! (If you enjoyed it, if you didn't, I guess you don't have much of a personal stake in it, right? Haha)

If you enjoyed the story, hated the story, or see some room for improvement, let me know by writing a review! I love to read them and I respond to every one I get (though sometimes not as fast as I'd like to, sorry!). If you want more SasuSaku for your holiday break, check out Crimson Evanescence! I've also got a NejiTen (recently tweaked) and a NaruHina (not recently anything'd) in stock! Take a look around if you get the chance!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

-Uchiha Ryken


	5. Chains

It may be four months late, but it's here! If you want to wait until Christmas to read it, that's totally acceptable, but if you've been waiting since last Christmas and can't wait any longer, then I bring you Crimson Christmas chapter 5! This chapter is meant to take place when Sasuke and Sakura are 16 years old, soon after Sasuke has killed Itachi. A key difference is that, due to his heartache over both the loss of his brother and the three years without Sakura, he can't bring himself to hate Konoha the way Madara had hoped, and instead returns of his own will.

This chapter is a bit longer and a bit more serious due to the nature of the time in Sasuke's life, having to sort out both his destiny and his relationship with Sakura. But I tried to lighten it up with some humor mixed throughout. The chapter is entitled "Chains" in reference to everything that has pulled our protagonists down; hatred and vengeance, but also positive emotions such as love; all are obsessions that have led to grief. We'll see where it has led them these past few years. Hope you like it!

At one point, there are flashbacks and thoughts within a dream, and it jumps around very suddenly. I tried to offset them with line breaks and font changes to make it easier, but really I think I just got too caught up in my own imagination and it's a difficult thing to portray in writing... sorry for any confusion!

All characters, techniques, and terms belong to Masashi Kishimoto, creator of the Naruto Universe. The only rights I claim to this story are for the plot. Do not distribute this fic without my permission and proper credit.

* * *

**Chains**

"Sheeeeeesh, it's cold as the Land of Snow out here!" Hagane Kotetsu exclaimed, rubbing his arms to keep the blood flowing. "Why do we always get the front gate shift on days like this? And the night before Christmas Eve, too!"

"Quit complaining," Kamizuki Izumo muttered, the condensation from his breath icing the hair that perpetually covered his right eye. "It's half-past four now, so just a little over an hour left and we'll be done til the New Year."

"I'm just saying," Kotetsu continued, scratching underneath the bandage crossing his nose, "we never get the respect we deserve! Ever since Lady Tsunade took over, we've been running errands, watching the gate… the only time we got any action was against those zombie freaks from Akatsuki, and that nearly killed us!"

"The village has been under threat a lot lately," Izumo reasoned. "It's precisely because the Hokage believes in our skills that she has entrusted us with the safety of the gate. You can't put rookies in charge of guarding the village from monsters like Akatasuki."

"Yeah, I guess so," Kotetsu finally acquiesced. "But still, it's just so bitterly cold! Doesn't it seem a lot colder than it was just last week when we were on guard duty?"

"Yes, it does," Izumo agreed. "Probably the wind."

"Oh, what, there wasn't _wind_ last week?" Kotetsu asked sarcastically. "Suddenly _wind_ is some kind of new _natural phenomenon_?"

"No, but there was a wall here last week."

"Hmm…" Kotetsu thought it over as he followed the road with his eyes up to the splintered remains of the village's once-towering walls. The "front gate" they now guarded was a simple set of arched posts as opposed to the heavy wooden doors that used to dominate the entrance. "Now that you mention it, there _does_ seem to be something lacking."

"It _seems_ that way? I can't believe you could forget so soon what the village looked like before that bastard Pain destroyed everything!"

"Hey, in my defense, I wasn't paying a whole lot of attention to the doors and walls when they were here in the first place, so how was I supposed to know they're different now?"

"What? So you weren't paying any attention when you were supposed to be on guard duty?"

"Guard duty? Come on, like we really need guards to watch the gate! Konoha is such a peaceful village that…"

He glanced back to the shattered timber and chunks of stone just outside Konoha proper. As if on cue, a pile of rubble collapsed noisily on itself.

"Oh… right."

"This is unbelievable," Izumo sighed. "I-!"

His protest died before it truly began as his eyes narrowed in recognition of a slight disturbance out on the road.

"… what is that?" He asked Kotetsu.

"I dunno," his friend answered dismissively. "Probably a big snowflake."

Izumo bashed him over the head.

"Ow! What?"

"Keep your voice down!" Izumo whispered. "Look out past the gate."

Kotetsu finally grasped the seriousness of his partner's tone and kept his mouth shut, peeking his head out further from the booth they sat in to inspect the road. It didn't look much different than it had for the past several hours but- wait! Yes, it was definitely darker in the center of the road.

"I see it," Kotetsu whispered back.

"What do you think it is?" Izumo mused.

"Dunno. The snow is coming down too thick to see."

"Yeah," Izumo muttered. "But it's definitely coming closer."

"Yeah," Kotetsu said after a few moments. "I think it's a man… maybe carrying something over his shoulder?"

"That makes sense. Now that he's closer, I can make out the shape of the arm holding the…"

Izumo stopped, squinting hard.

"Hey… is that a body bag?"

Kotetsu scowled. "It sure is. Whaddu'ya think this guy's up to this time of day with a body bag?"

"Nothing good," Izumo muttered, reaching for the large blade strapped to his back. "Get ready."

"He's walking awfully slow," Kotetsu observed. "And that cloak… remind you of a certain organization?"

Izumo tightened his grip on his weapon and tried to make out more of the figure, now only fifty yards or so away. The ends of a black cloak could be seen blowing in the wind. And there was definitely a strange pattern to his footsteps. "He looks wounded. Maybe come for help. Or… it could be a trick."

He bit his lip thoughtfully. "Either way, I'm calling the interim Hokage. Watch for anything suspicious."

"Right."

* * *

Each ragged breath fogged the cold night air in front of his face, clouding his already-unstable vision every few seconds. Drifting in and out of focus, the path before him seemed to sway back and forth. Placing his next step required much more attention than it should have, drowning out all other thought. There was nothing but the next step.

He dreaded taking it, knowing it would tear at his blistered feet. But his arm was burning from carrying the precious cargo on his shoulder, and he couldn't let it down until he reached his destination. So he continued to plod through the ankle-deep snow in search of refuge.

Sweat and blood had long since frozen against his pale skin, and his hands were numb with cold. How many years had he walked this snow-laden road? How many lifetimes since he had felt the warmth of another human being?

How far to the village of Konoha?

His legs crumpled suddenly, and he fell to his knees, barely catching himself with his left hand, refusing to let go with his right. Bile rose in the back of his throat and he gagged, until finally a horrible cough broke free, and red streaks adorned the white snow. Unmoving, unthinking, he knelt in the snow, gathering himself for one last push. Shaking with effort, his legs once again bore the combined weight of his weary body and his heavy burden. He could feel his body swaying but could no longer tell which way was up or down to steady it. Whether he had reached his physical limit from the blood loss or his mental limit from the pain, he didn't know, but something else was wrong.

He should have reached the village by now. Or at least seen it from a distance.

_Where am I?_

It was the first complete notion to run through his mind in several hours.

_What am I doing here?_

The second. He blew out a long, tired breath.

_Calm down._

_Think._

Though his head was spinning just trying to stay still on his feet, he began to recount his travels in his mind's eye. Every road, every turn, every step he could remember was one that brought him closer to home. There was only one thing to do.

Unsteadily, his feet began to move forward, one lurching step at a time.

_I will make it today, _he resolved. _It's been far too long already._

The sound of snow crunching beneath his feet brought memories to the front of his mind, memories that he would rather leave buried beneath the frost for just a bit longer. He didn't know what would become of those memories when he returned. If he returned.

_Are you still waiting for me?_

After everything he had done, would she see him as anything more than a murderer? Surely she couldn't forgive what he had become for the sake of his revenge. And even if she could forgive him for that, she didn't know the full truth, yet. He wasn't sure he could tell her; wasn't sure she could ever meet his eyes again if he did.

_I'm sorry, Sakura, _he lamented. _If I had only known the truth from the beginning, I never could have left you… never could have done… what I did._

A fresh twist of pain in his chest greeted him like a knife blade. He had lost one of the most important people in his life, and if one of the others ever found out why, he could lose her too.

_Even if it is only one last time, _he prayed, _let me see her smile… just one last time._

After three years, it was all he could hope for. And far more than he deserved.

The load on his shoulder seemed to grow heavier each passing second; his guilt and shame building to a critical mass as his body refused to carry his growing burdens.

He sank to his knees, defeated. Closing his eyes, he clutched tighter to the bag draped over his shoulder, refusing to drop it to the ground, despite not having the strength to hold it any longer. His arm was shaking with effort. Some small, sane part in the back of his mind told him it didn't matter, but the guilt in his heart fought hard against it.

_I'm sorry, brother, _he thought, squeezing his eyes shut tighter._ I thought I could make it._

As gently as he could, he lowered his burden to the snowy ground.

For a few minutes, he knelt silently in the snow. Without the strength to carry it, nor the will to leave it behind, he simply didn't move. Exhaustion was taking its toll on his body, and he didn't think he could fight it much longer. Losing consciousness in the snow without knowing how far he was from the village could mean death.

Yet he could go no further. It was no longer in his hands. His head rolled back, and he began to fall backwards.

_It looks like… this is as far as I go._

He stopped falling.

"Hey," a familiar voice said softly.

Sasuke tilted his head back to see the masked face of his former teacher, standing casually behind him, book in hand, propping him up with his knee.

"Well done," Kakashi's smile could be seen through his mask as he repeated the praise he had given his student at the end of the preliminary Chuunin exams, so very long ago.

Sasuke's throat felt swollen, and he grit his teeth against his welling emotions. Kneeling beside him, Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. He stared pointedly at the bag on the ground in front of his former student.

"Is this…"

Sasuke nodded.

Without another word, Kakashi signaled to two Konoha guards behind him, and they moved forward, carefully picking up the corpse.

"No…" Sasuke croaked. "Don't…"

"It's alright, Sasuke. We'll keep his body safe," Kakashi said, not quite understanding the attachment Sasuke had to what should have been an idol of hatred.

"…and hidden." He nodded to Izumo and Kotetsu. "Go."

"Yessir," Izumo nodded and vanished with the cadaver. Kotetsu remained, watching the path behind them vigilantly.

Sasuke wanted to speak, to tell Kakashi everything he had discovered, but he didn't know where to start, and he doubted he could speak at all if he tried. Between his injuries and his overwhelming relief to be alive and safe, he couldn't summon the strength to do anything but breathe. Already he began to feel the last vestiges of strength leaving him.

"Let's get you home," Kakashi smiled. "There are a lot of people waiting for you."

He wrapped Sasuke's arm over his shoulders and helped him to his feet. With Kakashi to lean on and nothing to carry, he was able to move forward, albeit slowly.

"How far…" he rasped, "to Konoha?"

Kakashi released a heavy breath.

"This is Konoha."

Wide-eyed, Sasuke observed for the first time the splintered wood, broken stone, and shattered glass that lay in a circular pattern on either side of the road as far as he could see.

"Wh-what?"

"The Akatsuki member known as Pain did this, just days ago," Kakashi answered. "He destroyed the entire village, and the Hokage is out of commission. If Naruto hadn't arrived when he did…"

"Naruto?"

"He came in at the last minute to save the day, as he often does," Kakashi smiled briefly. "After the battle, Naruto spoke to the man behind the scenes. In the end, he was just another victim of the cycle of hatred in this shinobi world."

"Heh," Sasuke smirked. "So Naruto… has become that strong…"

"He's not the same Naruto that you knew, that's for sure," Kakashi answered. "But we're going to need you both against the coming threat. Pain was just a pawn. There's a darker foe on the horizon, hiding in the shadows of Akatsuki."

"Uchiha Madara," Sasuke said the name like a curse.

"What?" Kakashi asked in shock. "He can't possibly be alive!"

"There's a lot… I need to tell you," Sasuke said, panting. "And I have information… for the Hokage…"

"It can wait," Kakashi said sternly. "You need to rest."

"At least… tell the Hokage…"

"Already done. It may seem a little strange but," Kakashi grinned. "You're looking at him."

Despite his weakness, Sasuke scoffed.

"Always… full of surprises…"

"I'm just the interim," Kakashi corrected. "Once Lady Tsunade recovers, I'll gladly step aside. But for now… I couldn't let someone like Danzou take over."

_Danzou…!_

Sasuke's eyes shot open, his Sharingan twisting into the Mangekyou in an instant. Pain arced through him as his eyes stole the last remains of chakra from his body, and he let go of Kakashi to cover them with his hands, grunting in agony as he staggered to balance.

"Sasuke?" Kakashi called out, reaching for him. The sound was distant and distorted as Sasuke swayed on his shaking legs.

His eyes returned to their normal hue and he turned to face Kakashi as his body reeled backwards. Kakashi's outstretched hand was blurred and seemed to shift back and forth, and Sasuke's hand flailed through empty air as he fell to the ground.

Darkness overcame him.

* * *

The jingle of keys hitting the tabletop shattered the silence of her dark apartment. Sakura had only recently moved away from her parents' house to be closer to the hospital, as well as a necessary step in her own independence, and her new home still felt somewhat empty. Her father had offered to come and decorate while she was at work earlier in the month, but she had politely declined. She told him that she would do it herself sometime, but truthfully she knew that it would only remind her of family and how much she missed them all the more.

Sakura flipped on a light switch, and was surprised when a thousand tiny, colored bulbs illuminated a small Christmas tree in the corner. When she crossed the room to examine the single present underneath, she was not surprised to read the tag.

_To: My little princess  
From: Daddy_

She smiled sadly and hugged the small box to her heart.

_Thank you, dad, _she thought. _You always could see through my acts._

How silly that she thought she could keep from missing them by refusing to decorate. And although she would see them later tonight for Christmas Eve dinner, she still greatly appreciated her father's thoughtfulness after a long night of work.

Though it was nearly six in the morning, she could still sleep a full eight hours and have time to get ready for her family's traditions. As tired as she was, maybe she would just sleep eleven hours and run over to her parents' house right at six for dinner. After Akatsuki's attack that left thousands injured and Tsunade incapacitated, Sakura had suddenly become the village's most skilled medical ninja, if not the most experienced. And so she had been hard at work for nearly three days straight.

As she made her way to her room, Sakura slipped out of her hospital lab coat and let it fall gracelessly to the floor. As much as she would have liked to take a hot bath, she was simply too tired to bother with it. Instead, she changed into her silky jade pajamas and turned out the main lights, letting the Christmas lights from the tree in the other room provide a soft glow throughout the apartment. She would have simply collapsed onto her bed except for the glint of the picture frame on her dresser catching her eye. As she reached for the captured memory of Team Seven, she noticed that the sleeves of her pajamas weren't quite as long as they used to be, and she smiled, thinking that she might finally grow into them this year.

She stared longingly at the picture of her team for only a few moments.

_Santa, _she smirked to herself. If only her father could hear her now. _You know the drill. All I want for Christmas…_

She set the picture frame down gently.

…_is-_

"Sasuke-kun!" Shizune called from the entrance hall as she burst into Sakura's apartment. "He's returned!"

Sakura whirled, emerald eyes wide. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"He's wounded," Shizune said, breathing hard. "But he's alive. We have a team taking care of him as we speak, but I don't know-"

She didn't have the chance to finish as Sakura sprinted past her and out the door.

* * *

Where am I?_ He wondered. The very thought seemed to echo, as if he were thinking inside a thought. Or dreaming inside a dream._

"_What are you doing up at this hour?" She asked him curiously._

What?_ He tried to answer, but realized his mouth wasn't obeying his mind. The body he inhabited was his own, but he felt foreign in it, burdened by knowledge he shouldn't have had._

"_Just thinking…" he replied. The fire was dying down, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the red-hot embers. _

"_Sounds like you've been doing that a lot lately," she answered. She always knew what to say, always knew when he was troubled. Maybe that's why he was here? "What's been on your mind?"_

I killed your beloved son,_ he thought. _Your son, who was talented beyond his years. Who you were so proud to place in a position of power within the village as your personal spy.

Your son, who, from that very place of power, learned of father's treason, and decided to end a war before it started.

Your son, who killed you in cold blood.

"…_there's this girl at school," he heard his younger self say. "Haruno Sakura."_

"_I think I know who she is. Your classmate with pink hair, right?" His mother answered, oblivious to the dark ponderings of his current self. "She's very pretty."_

* * *

The dress was narrow at her waist and flared out at her feet, in a scarlet palette that matched both the ribbons in her hair and Sasuke's rapidly reddening face. Before it was completely flushed, Sakura smiled perhaps the brightest he'd ever seen, and pulled him in quickly.

"Sasuke-kun, I'm so happy you're here!" She exclaimed. "And you look so handsome!"

"Uh, thanks," he said awkwardly. He knew he should comment on her outfit as well, knew that she was probably waiting for him to say something, but he couldn't find the words. If there was one image that he believed would be burned into his mind forever, it was the sight of Sakura answering the door: her luminous emerald eyes complementing her perfect red dress, and reflected in those green orbs, a million Christmas lights.

* * *

"_I guess so," his younger self turned away, face flushed, unaware of the crimson angel that would greet him some five years later. "She asked if I wanted to walk with her after school, but I just made an excuse and ran off."_

* * *

"I'm sorry, Sakura. But this is something that I must do."

"I can't lose you," she cried. "Please Sasuke-kun, if you can't stay here… then take me with you. I would do anything for you."

His heart ached as his world was breaking, divided in two before his eyes. Sasuke knew it would come to this, as much as he hoped it wouldn't. He had considered taking Sakura with him, selfishly keeping to himself what he cherished most in the world, while asking her to give up everything in her own. But what would happen to her then? Would Orochimaru even permit her to see him? Would Konoha brand her a traitor alongside Sasuke? Would her fragile heart bear the loss of her friends and family?

* * *

"_Why did you do that?" His mother smiled. Her smile could brighten the room better than any roaring flame._

"_I don't know," his younger self mumbled in ignorance, but Sasuke's current consciousness was burdened with the answer._

I abandoned her when she needed me most– and when I needed her most– to avenge you, mother. I thought you deserved justice… I didn't realize that justice had already come for you.

"_Were you afraid of her?" His mother teased._

How can you laugh? Some months from now, you will follow father in his private war, and Sakura could be one of many victims, sacrificed on the altar of his accursed pride, and this accursed clan.

"_No!" The boy responded indignantly. _

_She laughed. "Of course not."_

"_It's just… she's always looking at me and stuff. Actually, a lot of the girls in class do, but she's… different."_

_Some slight movement caught Sasuke's mind's eye as his younger self conversed with his mother. He could have sworn he saw a shadow crawl out of the flames._

_He lost concentration as his mother moved forward to embrace him. The seven-year-old Sasuke took great comfort from this gesture, but he could feel himself bristle at her touch. Behind his mother, he saw a white serpent slither toward him. He tried to break away from his mother's hold, but she held fast to his younger self._

Let me go!_ He yelled inwardly._

"_Would it be so terrible to give little Sakura a chance?" His mother asked, as if the snake wasn't there._

"… _I guess not," he answered as the snake moved past his mother and began to climb up his leg._

Move!_ He cried out in silence. The snake was now wrapping around his arm, its head dangerously close to his neck._ Move!

"_I think so too. She seems like a nice girl. It'd be a nice thing to do at Christmas. And you know, if you keep turning her away, eventually she'll start to like someone else. It'd be a shame to lose a girl like her, hm?" _

"_Yes, Sasuke," the snake hissed. This close, Sasuke could hear the voice clearly. It was Kabuto, who had confronted him as he escaped Uchiha Madara's lair with Itachi's body. "It would certainly be a shame to lose a girl like her, wouldn't it?"_

"_Stay away from her!" he found that his will finally prevailed over the memories of his younger self, and his thoughts found a voice. The voice was terrifying, even to himself. The higher pitch belonged to his seven-year-old body, but the dark tone was a product of the young man who had nothing but murder on his mind for years. "If you hurt her… if you even touch her… I will make you suffer! I'll bring you to the edge of death. I'll let your body heal while your mind endures a hell unlike anything you've ever dreamed. You'll experience every pain you can imagine, again and again, and worse, because I won't have to worry about you dying. And when I get bored listening to you shriek and beg for death, **then** I'll end you."_

"_Is that so?" The snake snickered, but even it looked a little unnerved. "You may have bested me the last time, Sasuke-kun, but I gained something in return. Have you forgotten what I received in exchange for those nasty burns and scars you gave me?"_

_Sasuke clenched his teeth in rage. "You stole something from my brother's corpse during the battle. What did you take?"_

"_All in good time, Sasuke-kun." It sneered, slithering back down his leg and coiling so that it could watch the rest of the scene unfold. The strange compulsion overcame him once more and time flowed back as it once had._

_When he didn't answer her, Mikoto let him go. "Go back to bed now, Sasuke. If you don't get some sleep, you'll be too tired to play with Itachi tomorrow."_

_The serpent's laugh sent a chill down Sasuke's spine._

"_Okay," Sasuke answered, running off to bed. "Good night, mom."_

"_Night, Sasuke."_

_The memory froze again, leaving Sasuke halfway up the stairs, only able to watch as the snake crawled back into the flames. Its voice echoed in his mind as it burned away in the fireplace._

"_I do hope you will enjoy playing with Itachi again, Sasuke-kun. I went through a lot of trouble to make it happen."_

_Sasuke clenched his fists and roared in fury._

"AAARRRRGH!" Sasuke sat up in an instant, striking not at the serpentine provoker, but the young nurse at his bedside.

His knuckles struck flesh before he realized what was happening, and a hand firmly closed around his own.

Naruto stood between Sasuke and the terrified woman, his palm having blocked Sasuke's sudden assault. The nurse stared in shock at the back of the man who had saved her life, unable to speak, and Naruto released a tense breath.

"Whew," Naruto whistled before giving that big, stupid grin of his. "That was a close one, Sasuke."

The frightened nurse suddenly let out a scream and ran out of the room, yelling for the doctor and slamming the door behind her.

"Oh geez," Naruto sighed, holding his head. "I'm gonna get scolded for this one."

Sasuke slumped back on the makeshift hospital bed, breathing hard. His body was still trembling, and he couldn't make it stop. The gravity of his altered conversation with his mother struck him, and he realized that even after discovering the truth, he still only associated the Uchiha plot with his father, the clan head… but undoubtedly his mother had played a part. A new wound opened in his heart as he realized the person he had loved most in the world had been directly responsible for the loss of the person he had sought most to emulate. His father and mother had signed his beloved brother's death warrant.

"Hey," Naruto said, pulling him back to the present moment. Sasuke snapped to attention, finally meeting the gaze of his former teammate in earnest. "You look half-dead, covered in all those bandages. What happened to the great genius Uchiha Sasuke that I knew?"

"Feh," Sasuke scoffed. "That all you have to say, dropout?"

Naruto grinned. "You're really back, aren't you?"

Sasuke considered the question for a moment.

"…Yeah," he answered softly. "I guess I am."

Naruto's grin widened, then faded just as quickly. "I… always wondered what I would say when you came back," he said somberly. "But I never had an answer until now."

Sasuke remained silent, waiting.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke."

That wasn't what he had expected to hear.

"… for what?"

"You were right," Naruto stepped away to stare out the window. "I didn't know how you felt back then. There's no way I could know what it was like to lose everything like you did. There's no way I could understand what it felt like to bear so much hatred and pain."

"But," Naruto turned back to face him, eyes burning with an intensity he had never seen before. "I learned what it means to have hatred and… what it feels like to want revenge."

Sasuke understood in only a moment. Naruto was a completely different person than the goofy kid he used to be. In both power, and purpose. His eyes were clear, focused on something far off that Sasuke couldn't see.

"Who was taken from you?" Sasuke asked.

"My teacher," Naruto said softly. "The perverted sage."

"Did you kill the ones responsible?" Sasuke pressed, strangely eager for the answer.

Naruto let out a breath slowly, and smiled. "No," he answered. "I didn't."

"What?" Again, not what he expected. _Why did it sound like he was happy he let them go?_

"I hated him," Naruto said, as though he were in another world, or perhaps another time. "I hated him so much I was trembling with rage. I couldn't forgive him."

Naruto swallowed.

"I wanted to see how I would feel… I wouldn't know how I would feel, if I really saw him right in front of me," he clenched his fist at his side. "I failed, Sasuke. My hatred consumed me, and I decided then that I would kill him."

"Why didn't you?"

Naruto smiled, and his fingers unfurled. "Because that perverted sage believed in me. And I chose to believe what he believed in. And he believed that a day would come when people could truly understand each other. A day of peace."

Sasuke sighed. "That's nice, but… you can't fix the world with pretty words. Justice has to play a part."

"Justice?" Naruto challenged. "Or are you talking about revenge?"

"Sometimes they're the same thing."

"If revenge is called justice, then that justice breeds more revenge… and becomes a chain of hatred." Naruto answered.

"That's just the way the world works," Sasuke answered bitterly. "There will always be people who only care about themselves, who don't want to understand anyone else. There's no such thing as real peace. It's impossible as long as we live in this accursed world."

"Then I will break the curse," Naruto grinned, determination etched into every feature. "If there's such a thing as peace, I'll find it. And I won't give up."

Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, but Naruto cut him off.

"Starting with you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I can see it, Sasuke," Naruto said. "You're hurting, and you're trying to hide behind your hatred again."

Sasuke thought back to his dream, the anger he felt toward his mother, and the punishment that snake Kabuto deserved, and he thought of his brother, the justice that he wanted to bring to Konoha's elders.

"Let it go, Sasuke."

Sasuke grit his teeth. "Let it go? Just like that, let the people responsible for all of our pain get away with no consequence?"

"Of course not."

"Then what?"

"I will fight to protect the people I care about," Naruto said resolutely. "And I expect you to be standing right there next to me. But you can't change what already happened by killing those people. It won't bring back your parents."

He looked away for a moment, sadness etched deeply into his normally bright blue eyes.

"…or mine. Of course I want that man to pay for the pain he caused. But our families are already gone. Forget about your hatred. Forget about your messed-up version of justice for one second and think! Don't give up the people you love chasing after the ones you hate! What kind of life is that?"

Sasuke glared back at him, wanting to lash out; wanting to tell him he had no idea what he was talking about.

"_I can't lose you like that."_

"_But you'll give me up like this?" She whispered tearfully._

"_I will never give you up," Sasuke whispered back fiercely. "Please believe me, Sakura, when I tell you that I do not choose justice over you. I choose you, but justice must come first. _

Sasuke bowed his head and clenched his fists.

"It's _my_ life," he whispered. "And it's cost me everything."

Naruto wisely waited in silence.

"Three years…" Sasuke whispered. "I gave up three years with her in exchange for the power I needed to kill that man…"

"No one can blame you for wanting revenge for your clan," Naruto said reassuringly. "He was a monster."

"No," Sasuke answered. "He was a true shinobi."

Naruto's brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"Self-sacrifice… a nameless shinobi who protects peace from within its shadow. Closing one's eyes to the sunlight, and distinguishing oneself in the darkness…"

"Peace? But… your clan-"

"My clan would have overthrown Konoha for nothing but their lust for more power."

"What?"

"It's a long story," Sasuke sighed, recalling the extensive history he had learned only recently. "But it comes down to this: Konoha's founding fathers; Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama, were bitter enemies until the day they died. The Uchiha felt that they should have been put in charge of the village, but instead of earning the respect of the villagers, they sowed discontent among the clan. My father was preparing a coup d'etat. He sent my brother as a spy into the ANBU, as a direct link to the Hokage's office. Father expected him to be the greatest weapon and ally of the clan. But he didn't know my brother at all."

He met Naruto's eyes. "Itachi betrayed my father, betrayed the entire clan, knowing that their greed could only lead to another great war. The only way to stop it… was to make sure that no one else got involved."

"What do you mean?"

"A civil war between the Uchiha and Konoha would have opened the door to invasion by hostile nations. At least, that's what he was led to believe by Konoha's top brass. By limiting the bloodshed to only the Uchiha, Itachi took away much of Konoha's power, but what was left was still a unified shinobi force. The other nations didn't think the loss of the Uchiha was enough to make an easy victory."

He scowled.

"For the sake of the village, my brother destroyed our clan."

"Then… your brother… " Naruto clenched his fist. "Itachi was a hero! Why doesn't anyone know about this?"

"To leave the honor of the Uchiha clan intact."

"To hell with that!" Naruto growled. "How could he take the blame for something so terrible just for the clan's _reputation_?"

"He did it for me," Sasuke whispered. "So that I could grow up believing that the Uchiha were the pride of the village… that our parents weren't monsters."

Naruto looked away guiltily.

"He decided to take it all on himself, to commit a crime that would never be forgiven, to leave the village and join Akatsuki, to protect the village from the inside of its biggest threat." Sasuke tried to maintain his composure. "He willingly became my enemy, taking on the guilt of the clan, and making me an avenger to his crime. He made me stronger, preparing me for the day I would have to fight Madara. He fought me with everything he had left, to free me from the curse mark, and awaken my own Mangekyou Sharingan. Up to the moment of his death, and even through death itself, he was trying to give me more power."

A tear rolled down his cheek.

"He lived as a fugitive, a traitor, a criminal, praying for the release of death. He traded pride for disgrace, and my love for hatred. All to protect peace in Konoha, and to protect me."

A long silence stretched as Sasuke tried to suppress his grief. Naruto put a hand on his shoulder.

"I won't pretend to know how you feel," Naruto said after some time. "But… it's not too late to make your brother's dream a reality. Your brother… Itachi gave up everything for the sake of peace. He believed in you, and believed that you would find the right path. So what are you going to do?"

Sasuke thought about Madara, and how much he wanted to kill him for manipulating the clan. He thought about Danzou and the elders, and how much he wanted to kill them for manipulating his brother. He thought about Itachi, and how much he wanted to be like him. And he thought about Sakura, and how much he wanted to protect her.

_Hatred, or love?_

_Vengeance, or sacrifice?_

_Justice, or peace?_

"I…" he grit his teeth.

_I can't forgive them._

_I can't let Itachi's sacrifice be in vain._

He lifted his head to meet Naruto's resolute gaze. It was unwavering. Focused. Strong. Sasuke felt like he was melting beneath it. The chaos in his own heart was crushed underneath the weight of that gaze.

"I don't know."

"Heh!" Naruto grinned and stood up abruptly, startling him. "Then you better rest up! Get some sleep, and take some time to think about it."

He walked toward the door, stopped, and turned, holding out his fist.

"I'll be waiting!"

"Hn," Sasuke looked away, scoffing. "What are you, my doctor?"

"Ha!" Naruto laughed as he crossed the room. "Not me! I'm just a patient, like you. Technically, I'm supposed to be in bed right no-"

"NARUTO!" A woman's voice yelled from the hallway.

"Uggh," Naruto muttered. "Here we go again."

"Who was that?" Sasuke asked.

"_That's _your doctor," Naruto grinned.

The door swung inwards in a moment, smashing against the wall as a young woman in a white lab coat strode purposefully in. Sasuke felt his stomach drop.

"Naruto, what are you doing walking around? I told you three days in bed!" She waved three fingers in the air threateningly. "Three! Not one! Not two! THREE!"

"But doc, I-" Naruto began his excuse, but she cut him off.

"And then I hear that you're terrorizing my nurses instead of resting, like I _told_ you to and-!"

Whatever she was about to say faded away once she met Sasuke's eyes.

* * *

Naruto smiled knowingly as he walked past her out of the room, closing the door behind him.

He released the tense breath that he hadn't realized he was holding. Things had very nearly gotten out of hand, more than once. And then there was everything Sasuke had just told him about Itachi…

"You catch all that, Kakashi-sensei?"

His former teacher stood beside him, leaning against the wall to one side of the door.

"Yup."

"What do you think?"

Kakashi sighed. "This isn't something we can act on now; not during the reconstruction of the village. Not while Lady Tsunade is in such critical condition."

"But you're the Hokage now! You can-"

"Naruto!" Kakashi silenced him. "This isn't my decision to make right now. Lady Tsunade will recover, but it will take time. Besides, we can't blindly accept what he said about Konoha's elders using Itachi to destroy the Uchiha clan without anything to back it up."

Naruto looked away and blew an exasperated breath.

"What's going to happen now, Kakashi-sensei?"

"The village will be rebuilt. Emissaries will be sent to the other villages to continue peaceful relations. We don't know what this masked man is planning, but we have to be ready– and quickly."

"And Sasuke?"

"I don't know what he plans to do now. He's likely never thought of it himself."

"I thought… he would be happy when he came back," Naruto said dejectedly. "I never could have expected all this…"

"No," Kakashi agreed. "If what Sasuke says about Itachi is true, then we will have much to uncover about Akatsuki's true intentions. And Sasuke… will have a new burden to carry. One that he will have to carry for the rest of his life."

"His eyes… they're different than before. Not angry, just… lost."

"They are the eyes of a man who has accomplished a life-long ambition of revenge. The eyes of a man who has discovered that the only thing waiting at the end of that road is emptiness," Kakashi said somberly. "They are… the eyes of a man who has lost everything."

Naruto bowed his head sadly.

Kakashi glanced back into the hospital room and smiled.

"Well, not everything. Let's trust that Sasuke will find his way in time, and leave the rest up to the doctor. He's in capable hands now."

* * *

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura mumbled. She had thought she was prepared for this moment. Thought that, as she listened to him speak to Naruto through the door, she was ready to confront this new Sasuke. Why couldn't she say anything now?

"So," Sasuke smirked. "You're my doctor, huh?"

Sakura's heart rose and a smile spread unbidden across her features. That tone of voice, that confident little half-smile, that way he tried to hide his feelings with condescension and sarcasm– okay, granted, it wasn't his best quality, but…

_It's really you, Sasuke-kun!_

She ran to his bedside and threw her arms around his neck. His eyes went wide with surprise, then grew dim with guilt, and turned down to gaze at the floor. His arms remained still, as though he were afraid to touch her, as if he would sully her with bloodstained hands.

"… Just like that?" He asked softly. "After everything I've done to hurt you, you would forgive me so easily?"

Her arms tensed around him.

"No one said anything about forgiveness, Sasuke-kun," she answered, a little more harshly than she intended. A softer declaration followed. "I'm just glad you're home."

He smiled gently, accepting that for what it was. Slowly, he moved to return her embrace. She was struck with a twinge of grief as something that had once been so easy between them was revealed to be so much more difficult now.

"… So am I."

She wove her hand into the black spikes at the base of his head, as if she were afraid he would disappear if she didn't hold tightly enough.

"I've missed you so much," she whispered.

The arms that had delicately encircled her waist pulled her closer, soothing her fear of evanescence.

"Me too."

For a few, blissful moments, she simply stood there in the comfort of his embrace, wishing she could remain that way forever, without thinking about the past, or worrying about the future. If only she could stay in this one moment together with him in peace…

"I'm so sorry… Sakura."

The moment passed. Memories of tearful nights and lonely days poured out like a river, eroding her peace, carrying it far away. She recalled the years spent waiting anxiously for his return, hearing nothing at all on his whereabouts, worrying that he could be dead, or worse. Every night, being kept awake by feelings of doubt, betrayal, loneliness, fear… and shadows of the past, fragments of truth, whispers she began to believe were nothing more than her imagination.

"_I will never give you up."_

She cursed silently. As if it were as easy as simply saying he was sorry. Of course she wanted to forgive him. Of course she still loved him. But how could she ever come to completely trust him again?

She said nothing.

Sasuke released a tense breath.

"I understand," he murmured. "I knew it would be asking too much for your forgiveness. This is already so much more than I deserve. I had only dared to hope that I might see you smile one last time. Thank you."

_Fool! _Sakura closed her eyes tightly to keep her emotions in check. _As if I could hate you when you say something like that!_

"If only I had known what it would cost… I never would have left."

* * *

Something had changed. He could feel it in the way her body tensed just before she pulled away from him. He could see it reflected in those beautiful emerald eyes. They were filled with sorrow.

"If only you had known what it would cost?" She repeated softly.

"If I had known the truth from the start…" he began, realizing too late that she didn't even know what "the truth" was.

This was what he had wanted to tell her. Or rather, what he had needed to tell her. How much more difficult would it be for her to forgive him after she learned that he was not a hero who had slain a monster, but a monster who had murdered a hero?

He took a deep breath. "It may be hard to believe, but… I… my brother–"

"I'm not talking about your brother!" She said, desperately wanting him to understand. "I'm talking about us!"

He stared at her in silence, lost for words. She wasn't interested in his reasoning. She wasn't looking for explanation. What did she want him to say?

Her shoulders slumped. "Sasuke-kun… you really don't know?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He lifted his hands helplessly.

"I heard you talking to Naruto. I heard about what happened to Itachi… and I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. I know how important he was to you, and you know that I was always thankful to him for pushing us together," she smiled sadly, but only for a moment. "You couldn't have known what was going to happen when you found him... but… "

She bit her lip, and he could see tears glistening in her eyes, but she did not allow them to fall.

"…you knew _exactly_ what you were doing when you said goodbye… when you walked away from me!"

The hurt was etched deeply into her features. Her eyes searched his for understanding, for regret. How could he be so stupid? If only he had known the cost? What a foolish thing to say. Though he had not anticipated the result of his journey, the cost had never been hidden from him.

"… you're right," he whispered shamefully. "I did."

"Knowing that your decision would cost us everything we had together, you left anyway," she said sadly. "Revenge was more important to you."

As much as he wanted to disagree, to tell her that she meant everything to him, that he was always thinking of her, even in his decision to leave… they were just words. He hadn't done anything to prove them true. What reason did she have to believe him?

"It was."

"What are you going to do now?" She asked quietly.

The same question Naruto had asked him. How could he answer? With Sakura here, right before his eyes, close enough to touch, near enough to hold close and to never let go again… how could he want anything else?

_This isn't about what I want. It's about doing what is right for the people who have suffered for me. It's about justice._

"I don't know," he answered.

"Why did you come back, Sasuke-kun?" She asked softly.

He opened his mouth to speak, but remained silent.

_I came back for you._

Why couldn't he simply tell her?

_I can't say it unless I know it's true._

Of course it was true. When they were together, his only desire was a future with her. She was the only one who could take his pain away.

_Then what is this weight on my heart?_

Hatred. Danzou sentenced Itachi to death. He deserved justice. But killing Danzou, one of Konoha's elders, would mean he could never stay in the village with her. But it would give him plenty of time to hunt down Madara. And Kabuto. All deserving of death. It could cost him years, but his brother deserved justice. He had to do it. If not him, then who?

_There has to be an avenger._

"I… came back to set things right," he answered. It wasn't a complete lie.

She didn't say anything for a moment, and he thought with relief that he would get away with his omission, at least for now.

"You're going to leave me again."

Guilt pierced him.

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to. I can see it in your eyes," she said sadly. "They're the same as they were that night. Did you think that if you acted tough, I wouldn't notice?"

"Hn," he smirked. "Of course not. You were always too smart for me."

"Why won't you stay?"

He took a deep breath.

"When I thought of my past, all I could see was my brother, standing over my parents at the end. I hated him for taking them from me. I dedicated my life to bringing judgment to the man who destroyed my family. But now… I know the truth. When I learned about what the Uchiha had been planning, I could only see my father's face, and I blamed him for what happened. Only now I realize that my mother must have stood right beside him in everything. The only person who had ever acknowledged me over my brother, the person I cared about most in the world… sentenced my world to death."

"You're placing your mother responsible for everything that happened?" Sakura asked in obvious disagreement.

"No, I've merely understood that she wasn't who I thought she was," he answered sadly. "The people responsible are the ones who manipulated my brother and my parents from the beginning."

He thought of the Konoha elders, and of the masked man, Uchiha Madara, and clenched his hand into a fist.

"I can't let them go free. They must face judgment."

"And they will," Sakura answered. "But you don't have to take this burden all on your own."

_If not me, then who? Who would stand up to the evil in this world instead of letting it roam freely? How has Danzou been in power all these years without facing punishment for his sin?_

_No…_

"I'm sorry, Sakura. This is just who I am."

"You don't have to be that person anymore."

_I wish I could believe that, but…_

"I've lost all hope of making this wretched life mean anything more. Haven't you?"

"No," She answered. "I'm not giving up on you, Sasuke-kun. Don't you give up on yourself. That's not the guy I used to know."

Despite himself, a chuckle escaped his mouth.

"I was afraid you would grow into that stubbornness."

"My teacher instilled in me a hatred for losing."

He grinned.

"You're not the same girl I used to know, either," he said. The smile died from his features, and he met her steady gaze. "What would you have me do?"

* * *

_What would I have you do?_

There were a million different ways she could answer that question. She would have him stay in Konoha with her forever! She would have him stand-side-by side with Naruto to protect the village! She would have him as a husband and father and fulfill all the childish dreams of a perfect future she had imagined as a young girl!

But none of those things could be an answer. Or rather, none of those things could be an answer the way things were now.

"I would have you love as you once did, long ago" she said gently. "No hatred, no vendetta, no vengeance…"

She smiled.

"I would have the Sasuke who held my hand by the lake that Christmas Day come back to me again."

He smiled briefly at the memory, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"I heard you tell Naruto… you aren't sure who you want to be, or what path you want to follow. And I know it's a decision you have to make yourself, but I love you too much to let you make it alone. I'm asking you to give up on revenge."

* * *

_Give up on revenge?_

It was like asking a man dying of thirst to sit patiently while watching a glass of water evaporate in the heat of the day. He knew who was responsible for the pain in his life. How could he let them go on peacefully as though nothing had happened?

_It's not that easy, _he wanted to say. But how could he? If he turned her away now, he would lose her forever. Somehow, he knew that this moment would decide his fate with Sakura. If he chose revenge, it would become his only reality. But if he chose peace, what awaited him there?

"I know you've heard this before," she said. "From Kakashi-sensei, from Naruto, and from me… aren't we enough for you?"

He longed to tell her that she was more than enough; that he couldn't bear the thought of losing her again; that it wasn't a matter of what was more important, but instead about what was _right_.

Instead, he remained silent.

"I guess… it doesn't really matter what you do," she continued. "I've already forgiven you, Sasuke-kun. I realize now that I had already forgiven you in my heart the night you left. I felt like I understood you, then. I don't know if you're that person anymore, and I don't know if I still understand you, but I realize now that no matter what you've become, no matter what you choose to do…"

She smiled. A genuine, warm smile, juxtaposed with tears in her eyes.

"I love you too much to hold it against you."

He could only stare at her in surprise.

"It still hurts when I think about you," she said quietly. "I felt so broken when you left me alone, but I can't hate you, Sasuke-kun. I only ask this of you because I want you to be happy."

_How? _He asked himself in wonder. _How could you say that, after everything I've done to you? How could you love me if I choose revenge again? How could you love me at all?_

What was this unconditional love and forgiveness? He could feel a burden lifting, as the shackles of hatred that chained his heart to the depths unclasped. Everything fell away from him in a moment, as if the world had been torn asunder beneath his feet. A part of him desperately held on to the chains as they slipped into the abyss. They were all he knew; the rattle of their links comforted his ears, the tug of their weight made him stronger, the call of those depths gave him purpose and direction.

Thinking his silence to be answer enough, she whispered, "If still, you would choose justice…"

His hands gripped the chains even harder.

"…then please, remember on those dark and lonely nights that I love you, always."

She turned to leave as the shackles dropped into the rift.

* * *

A strong hand locked around her wrist, and she stopped.

"I choose you," he whispered.

Her surprise was complete, very nearly turning into joy, but she quenched it quickly.

_I've heard those words before…._

She sighed sadly, and tried to pull away, but his grip held her in place.

"I know you don't have any reason to, but please believe me, Sakura, when I tell you that I do not choose justice over you. I choose you."

It was unbearable. The words that should have comforted her brought nothing but despair. She even knew the next words that would come out of his mouth.

"'But justice must come first'?" she asked quietly.

He pulled her suddenly, so that she was spinning toward him, slightly off-balance and falling into his waiting embrace.

"I choose you, and only you."

In her surprise she could only stand there, wide-eyed, locked tightly in his arms.

"Wh… what?"

"I can't change by myself," he said. "I need you. I've lived my life consumed by hatred; lost, and stumbling around in the darkness. When you're near, my world is filled with light, and I can finally see again. I know now that only love can drive out hatred. And I know that I'm asking for something I could never deserve, but…"

It took her a moment to realize what he said, and then she was burying her tearful face into his shoulder and pulling him closer, deciding that if his lungs could still expand enough to breathe easily, there was entirely too much space between them. She couldn't think of anything to say, anything more to express her love and joy than the source.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun," she said, crying and laughing all at once.

She felt his hand stroke her hair as it once had, calming her immediately.

_If my role is to drive out your hatred with love, then it is a role I gladly accept, _she thought, peacefully resting against his shoulder.

"I still don't understand," he said softly. "How can you love me still?"

She remained silent for a moment, hoping that, with her answer, she could return something to him that had been lost.

"Your mother," she began, feeling him tense at only the mention. "I know that she loved you, Sasuke-kun. And your brother. And your father. I don't know everything that happened back then, but I know that your father was lost, as you were. And your mother might not have agreed with his decision, but his pride had been damaged, and she loved him enough to support him despite the fact that he was wrong."

She took a deep breath.

"I know, because I am that kind of person as well. I will always walk beside you, Sasuke-kun, no matter what. Even when you are misguided."

He bowed his head in renewed grief for the loss of a family he had tried to bury with anger.

"Thank you," he whispered.

A silent tear slid from his chin to her cheek. For a moment, she only stood there; content in knowing that he was finally home, to stay. After everything that had happened, all the years without him, the threat to Naruto, the destruction of the village, the questionable fate of her teacher after her battle with the Akatsuki and taking over all the responsibilities of the hospital since, Sakura would take this simple joy for what it was.

She yawned, suddenly realizing her fatigue and feeling like she would collapse in his warm embrace.

"You must be tired," he remarked, as if it had just occurred to him that it was morning and she must have been up half the night to heal his wounds.

"I've been working for three days straight," she said, grudgingly pulling away from him to sit at the chair beside his bed. "I was just about to go to bed when _someone_ showed up at Konoha's gate, bleeding and nearly frozen to death."

"Hn," he smirked. "I was wondering about the green pajamas under the doctor's getup. Didn't think that was standard uniform. And anyway, I had no way of knowing that my health was of professional concern to you. Since when were you a doctor?"

"I haven't been doing nothing while you were away," she answered, grinning. "It's been almost three years, hasn't it?"

He nodded, pensively. Perhaps thinking of everything he had missed in Konoha while he was away. His eyes met hers, with a gentleness that reminded her of the way it had been between them so long ago.

"I didn't think it was possible," he smiled. "But you've become even more beautiful."

She blushed.

"And that stubbornness I always dreaded has grown into confidence, hasn't it?" He became oddly serious. Not that it was odd for Uchiha Sasuke to be serious, but this was somehow… different. "I always knew you would be strong."

"I don't feel strong, now," she answered, afraid she would cry between his sweet compliments and her complete exhaustion.

"You should rest," he said, as though reading her mind. "We can catch up after you've had some sleep."

She nodded, coming wearily to a stand, and slowly walked to the door, wondering if she had the strength to walk the few blocks home. Wondering if she had the strength to leave this place at all, especially now that he was here.

Having made her decision, she locked the door and slid her white lab coat off her shoulders, again dropping it gracelessly to the floor.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Move over," she said.

"You really think this is okay?" He smirked. "The doctor, getting in bed with the patient?"

"Oh please," she sighed. "Who do you think healed you? I know what your body went through, and there's no way you're in any shape to do anything too devious."

"Ouch."

"Now shut up and move over."

He finally acquiesced, and she slid into the small hospital bed beside him, snuggling up close and laying her head against his shoulder as his arm wrapped around her shoulders and his hand threaded her hair.

She was asleep in an instant.

* * *

Her peaceful breathing gently caressed his cheek, and her porcelain features smoothed out, releasing the tension and worry that had built up during their conversation. Those silky pink tresses had fallen over her eyes, and he couldn't resist brushing them back behind her ear.

"I'm sorry, Sakura," he said quietly. "I'm sorry for everything. But you don't have to worry anymore. I promise; I'll never leave you alone again. From now on…

…we'll be together every Christmas."

* * *

Thank you for reading Crimson Christmas chapter 5!

I hope the wait was worth it, and I hope to have chapters 6 and 7 out on time next year!

Merry (belated) Christmas, everyone!

-Uchiha Ryken


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